Erin F
08-04-2003, 12:12 AM
Again, in order of final finish:
Kevin Reynolds
SP (1) Duel by Bond - 2a, 3flutz-2t with a big smile on the landing,
circular footwork really intricate, cross foot spin with a bit of
travel, footwork into 2f with hands on hips, combination spin with an
unusual position
LP (1) Gershin's Concerto in F and Crazy For You - 3t (2ft) I think,
3flutz(2ft)-3t fall, wally into 3f into 3s, 2a tight, spiral into 1f,
3flutz-2lp, flying camel, 3t-2t, diagonal footowrk, combination spin
with same cool position as SP that I can't describe, illusion spin.
Kevin looks like he's grown a bit from last year (he was not the smallest skater in the competition as he is a tiny bit bigger than Daisuke Murakami) and his power and speed are developing although still a weak point for him. He was probably the most "packaged" skater in the men's event though, with very polished and detailed choreography. His long program performance was definitely not his best skate and I thought it would have been a closer finish. Incidentally, Kevin's long program costume was very reminiscent of the costume Emanuel wore for his Grieg concerto program.
Princeton Kwong
SP (2) Russian Drinking Song (Abt's SP music) - 2a, 3t-2t, great flying
camel, circular footwork, footwork into 2f, combination spin.
LP (2) Some dramatic movie sdtk - really high 2a-2t, gorgeous 3t-2t,
footwork into 2lz, moves in the field, 3s-2t, 3lp fall, flying camel
with a fabulous position, death drop sit spin, 3s, 3t, 2f, circular
footwork, combination spin.
I was very impressed with Princeton's skating. He lacked some of the choreographic detail of Reynolds and Wong, but everything he did was just so effortless and smooth and his skating was so confident. They could show a videotape of this performance to define the "sureness and ease of movement" judging criterion. And with the exception of the triple loop, you could tell before he even took off that he was going to land the jump because his technique is excellent. One of the real finds of the competition for me.
Gary Wong
SP (3) Disco medley including Stayin' Alive, disco version of Night on
Bald Mountain, Disco Inferno, and disco version of Beethoven's 5th - 2a,
3t-2t a little slow, flying sit with a good position, straight line
footwork, footwork into 2f, combination spin.
LP (3) Backdraft - high 2a, split jump into 3s stepped out, 3t-2t, good
death drop sit spin, 2lz step out into 2t, 2a, nice spread eagle, 2lp,
3t tight but clean, combination spin, diagonal footwork, 2f, sit change
sit spin.
Gary was also very smooth and clean in his stroking, but not quite as much as Princeton. He has excellent presentation basics and used his arms very well. He also showed good versatility with two totally different styles between the short and long and really had the personality to pull off the disco program.
Daisuke Murakami
SP (6) Sing, Sing, Sing - 2a, fell while stroking, diagonal footwork, 1
and 1/2 toe, flying camel good position, footwork into double flip,
serpentine footwork, combination spin a little slow. One of the
footwork sequences must not have been a full sequence...I think probably
what I wrote down as a diagonal.
LP (4) Fiddler on the Roof - waltz jump (supposed to be 2a), 2f, sit
spin with good position, 3t fall, 2lz-2lp. At this point in the program
the lights went out in the arena, but he continued on to a single toe
and a combination spin before the referee finally blew the whistle. The
power had gone out in the other rink and in trying to restore the power
there, the power was cut to the NAC rink ;) About 20 minutes later, the
competition was re-started, with Murakami, Westfall, and Lefebvre
getting another six minute warm-up. Daisuke then continued his program
from the point the lights went out (before the attempt at the triple
toe). Continued on with 3t-2t, combination spin, 3s, 2lz, cute straight
line footwork, 2a-2t, death drop into a sit spin that he fell on, 2f-2t, good scratch spin.
After the short program, I felt like Daisuke probably was capable of skating better than he had that day...it appeared that perhaps the early fall had thrown him off for the rest of the program. The long program seemed to be a better indicator of his skills. I admired his composure to skate well after the program interruption. He's also very musical and one of the only skaters in the event who made an attempt to engage the crowd during his long program.
Marcel Lamothe
SP (4) The Untouchables - 2a, 3t-2t, diagonal footwork, footwork into 2f
with a wild landing, flying camel that could use some work on the
position, combination spin with weak positions.
LP (5) Dragonheart - 3t, 1 1/2 sal, death drop sit spin, 2lp, good
crossfoot spin, footwork into 2lz, 3s, back hydroblade move, 3t-2t
barely, diagonal footowrk, moves in the field, spread eagle into 2a
fall, combination spin.
I felt he lacked some refinement and polish, especially compared to the skaters who finished ahead of him, but he had interesting choreography and put together two very solid programs. I think he could develop into a well-rounded skater with some work on his positions.
Calvin Lefebvre
SP (8) James Bond type/techno-ish music - combination spin, 2t-2t, 2a,
straight line footwork, footwork into 2f, flying sit spin with good
position.
LP (6) Chaplin - 2a into 3s hand down, 3t fall, 2lz-2t wild landing,
flying camel, 2lp, 3s, combination spin with good sit position, 2a turn
into 2t, straight line footwork, 2f, sit change sit.
Like Marcel, he lacked a bit of refinement, but had some really intricate choreography especially in the long program, which involved a lot of miming of Chaplin type movements. It's a tough program for someone who's just out of pre-novice to pull off and I think he did a pretty good job of it. He has reportedly been through a six-inch growth spurt and is still getting used to the added height.
Andrew Gonzales
SP (7) not sure of music (it was something familiar to me, but I can't
understand what I mean in my notes) - 1a, 3t fall, some kind of spin
that I didn't identify in my notes, footwork into 2f, serpentine
footwork, combination spin really good and fast.
LP (7) some movie (space movie maybe?) - 2lz-2t, 2a-2t, flying camel, 3t
(2ft), sit spin that was very fast and well-centred, 3s fall, death drop
sit spin very fast, 2lp, straight line footwork, 2f, wild 1a, 2lz,
combination spin.
Spins were definitely his strong point, as they were all quite fast and well-centred. Perhaps the best spins of the competition. Basic skating skills were also quite good.
R.J. Westfall
SP (5) something Western (maybe Oklahoma?) - combination spin, 2s on to
2 feet step into 1t, footwork into 2f, 2a, straight line footwork,
flying camel spin with a small problem.
LP (8) military movie that I should know - 2a, wild 2lp into 3lp fall,
1lz, flying camel, 3t hard fall, moves in the field, 1a, circular
footwork, 2lz step out, split jump, combination spin.
This was a bit of a rough outing for R.J. as it appeared from the warm-up that he's capable of landing the jumps, but just didn't have them when it counted. He had good choreography and I especially enjoyed his short program. I wondered if perhaps he had also been through a growth spurt recently.
Kevin Reynolds
SP (1) Duel by Bond - 2a, 3flutz-2t with a big smile on the landing,
circular footwork really intricate, cross foot spin with a bit of
travel, footwork into 2f with hands on hips, combination spin with an
unusual position
LP (1) Gershin's Concerto in F and Crazy For You - 3t (2ft) I think,
3flutz(2ft)-3t fall, wally into 3f into 3s, 2a tight, spiral into 1f,
3flutz-2lp, flying camel, 3t-2t, diagonal footowrk, combination spin
with same cool position as SP that I can't describe, illusion spin.
Kevin looks like he's grown a bit from last year (he was not the smallest skater in the competition as he is a tiny bit bigger than Daisuke Murakami) and his power and speed are developing although still a weak point for him. He was probably the most "packaged" skater in the men's event though, with very polished and detailed choreography. His long program performance was definitely not his best skate and I thought it would have been a closer finish. Incidentally, Kevin's long program costume was very reminiscent of the costume Emanuel wore for his Grieg concerto program.
Princeton Kwong
SP (2) Russian Drinking Song (Abt's SP music) - 2a, 3t-2t, great flying
camel, circular footwork, footwork into 2f, combination spin.
LP (2) Some dramatic movie sdtk - really high 2a-2t, gorgeous 3t-2t,
footwork into 2lz, moves in the field, 3s-2t, 3lp fall, flying camel
with a fabulous position, death drop sit spin, 3s, 3t, 2f, circular
footwork, combination spin.
I was very impressed with Princeton's skating. He lacked some of the choreographic detail of Reynolds and Wong, but everything he did was just so effortless and smooth and his skating was so confident. They could show a videotape of this performance to define the "sureness and ease of movement" judging criterion. And with the exception of the triple loop, you could tell before he even took off that he was going to land the jump because his technique is excellent. One of the real finds of the competition for me.
Gary Wong
SP (3) Disco medley including Stayin' Alive, disco version of Night on
Bald Mountain, Disco Inferno, and disco version of Beethoven's 5th - 2a,
3t-2t a little slow, flying sit with a good position, straight line
footwork, footwork into 2f, combination spin.
LP (3) Backdraft - high 2a, split jump into 3s stepped out, 3t-2t, good
death drop sit spin, 2lz step out into 2t, 2a, nice spread eagle, 2lp,
3t tight but clean, combination spin, diagonal footwork, 2f, sit change
sit spin.
Gary was also very smooth and clean in his stroking, but not quite as much as Princeton. He has excellent presentation basics and used his arms very well. He also showed good versatility with two totally different styles between the short and long and really had the personality to pull off the disco program.
Daisuke Murakami
SP (6) Sing, Sing, Sing - 2a, fell while stroking, diagonal footwork, 1
and 1/2 toe, flying camel good position, footwork into double flip,
serpentine footwork, combination spin a little slow. One of the
footwork sequences must not have been a full sequence...I think probably
what I wrote down as a diagonal.
LP (4) Fiddler on the Roof - waltz jump (supposed to be 2a), 2f, sit
spin with good position, 3t fall, 2lz-2lp. At this point in the program
the lights went out in the arena, but he continued on to a single toe
and a combination spin before the referee finally blew the whistle. The
power had gone out in the other rink and in trying to restore the power
there, the power was cut to the NAC rink ;) About 20 minutes later, the
competition was re-started, with Murakami, Westfall, and Lefebvre
getting another six minute warm-up. Daisuke then continued his program
from the point the lights went out (before the attempt at the triple
toe). Continued on with 3t-2t, combination spin, 3s, 2lz, cute straight
line footwork, 2a-2t, death drop into a sit spin that he fell on, 2f-2t, good scratch spin.
After the short program, I felt like Daisuke probably was capable of skating better than he had that day...it appeared that perhaps the early fall had thrown him off for the rest of the program. The long program seemed to be a better indicator of his skills. I admired his composure to skate well after the program interruption. He's also very musical and one of the only skaters in the event who made an attempt to engage the crowd during his long program.
Marcel Lamothe
SP (4) The Untouchables - 2a, 3t-2t, diagonal footwork, footwork into 2f
with a wild landing, flying camel that could use some work on the
position, combination spin with weak positions.
LP (5) Dragonheart - 3t, 1 1/2 sal, death drop sit spin, 2lp, good
crossfoot spin, footwork into 2lz, 3s, back hydroblade move, 3t-2t
barely, diagonal footowrk, moves in the field, spread eagle into 2a
fall, combination spin.
I felt he lacked some refinement and polish, especially compared to the skaters who finished ahead of him, but he had interesting choreography and put together two very solid programs. I think he could develop into a well-rounded skater with some work on his positions.
Calvin Lefebvre
SP (8) James Bond type/techno-ish music - combination spin, 2t-2t, 2a,
straight line footwork, footwork into 2f, flying sit spin with good
position.
LP (6) Chaplin - 2a into 3s hand down, 3t fall, 2lz-2t wild landing,
flying camel, 2lp, 3s, combination spin with good sit position, 2a turn
into 2t, straight line footwork, 2f, sit change sit.
Like Marcel, he lacked a bit of refinement, but had some really intricate choreography especially in the long program, which involved a lot of miming of Chaplin type movements. It's a tough program for someone who's just out of pre-novice to pull off and I think he did a pretty good job of it. He has reportedly been through a six-inch growth spurt and is still getting used to the added height.
Andrew Gonzales
SP (7) not sure of music (it was something familiar to me, but I can't
understand what I mean in my notes) - 1a, 3t fall, some kind of spin
that I didn't identify in my notes, footwork into 2f, serpentine
footwork, combination spin really good and fast.
LP (7) some movie (space movie maybe?) - 2lz-2t, 2a-2t, flying camel, 3t
(2ft), sit spin that was very fast and well-centred, 3s fall, death drop
sit spin very fast, 2lp, straight line footwork, 2f, wild 1a, 2lz,
combination spin.
Spins were definitely his strong point, as they were all quite fast and well-centred. Perhaps the best spins of the competition. Basic skating skills were also quite good.
R.J. Westfall
SP (5) something Western (maybe Oklahoma?) - combination spin, 2s on to
2 feet step into 1t, footwork into 2f, 2a, straight line footwork,
flying camel spin with a small problem.
LP (8) military movie that I should know - 2a, wild 2lp into 3lp fall,
1lz, flying camel, 3t hard fall, moves in the field, 1a, circular
footwork, 2lz step out, split jump, combination spin.
This was a bit of a rough outing for R.J. as it appeared from the warm-up that he's capable of landing the jumps, but just didn't have them when it counted. He had good choreography and I especially enjoyed his short program. I wondered if perhaps he had also been through a growth spurt recently.