Photography by Ann Jensen


Notes From 2002 Nationals - Los Angeles, California
Copyright 2002 Ann Jensen - all rights reserved

Crystal Beckerdite & Raphael Kelling
Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto
Melissa Gregory & Denis Petukhov
Beata Handra & Charles Sinek Photos
Cerise Henzes & Rio Foster
Tiffany Hyden & Vazgen Azroyan
Jessica Joseph & Brandon Forsyth
Naomi Lang & Peter Tchernyshev
Laura Munana & Luke Munana
Kimberly Navarro & Robert Shmalo
Lia Nitake & Ian Ross-Frye
Caitlin Obremski & Jonathan Magalnick
Annie Yang & Walter Lang
Kakani Young & Ikaika Young

I watched the compulsaries and the OD. I don't see the need to go into gory detail. The winners a re so clearly better than everyone else that is more sad than it is funny. For once, they really could fall down a bunch of times and still be a bunch better than everyone else. There are no real surprises in the scoring from my perspective. The faster, surer skaters are ahead of the other ones. A lot of folks went bump on their closing poses in the compulsaries. It doesn't really effect the score much. It was just sort of odd to see.

I didn't see the first flight of the Free Dance as I went skating over at Pershing Square. The only thing that I thought was interesting (other than us having to send 1 & 4 to the OOOOO's) was that when Lang & Tchernychec's dance ended I wrote this in my notes: "Well, I love it, but internationally it may not be frantic enough. It makes it look too easy." The whole dance was just great to watch. It flows so smoothly from one move to the next. But it seemed like there was less intricate footwork and changes of positions/direction in the lifts than we are seeing the top folks put out. It was interesting to me to see that their technical marks were pretty low. I guess I may actually be getting the hang of watching this dance thing :)). Handra and Sinek's program had that "inticate" look; they just have less speed than you see at the tippy top. It is such a delicate balance to get maximum difficulty and maximum speed without taking a nose dive....Oh - I see Navarro and Shmalo coming on strong in the coming year. Their free, while it was to wierd tribal chanty things, was VERY strong. And, to the best of my knowledge, they are both citizens.....

Crystal Beckerdite & Raphael Kelling

 

Tanith Belbin & Benjamin Agosto

 

Melissa Gregory & Denis Petukhov

 

Beata Handra & Charles Sinek

 

Cerise Henzes & Rio Foster

 

Tiffany Hyden & Vazgen Azroyan

 

Jessica Joseph & Brandon Forsyth

 

Naomi Lang & Peter Tchernyshev

 

Laura Munana & Luke Munana

 

Kimberly Navarro & Robert Shmalo

 

Lia Nitake & Ian Ross-Frye

 

Caitlin Obremski & Jonathan Magalnick

 

Annie Yang & Walter Lang

 

Kakani Young & Ikaika Young

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Last updated: January 30, 2002 7:10 PM