Cat's Lair 2000 U.S. Nationals Diaries

	7-Feb-2000: Winterhurst Revisited; Men's Practices
Updated: 10-Feb-2000 10-Feb-2000 Cover Page Day 1: 6-Feb-2000 Novice Men's & Ladies' Short Day 2: 7-Feb-2000 Winterhurst Revisited; Jr. Men's practice Day 3: 8-Feb-2000 Sr. Ladies Practice; Jr. Ladies Short; Sr. Pairs Practice Day 4: 9-Feb-2000 Junior Men's Short Program Day 5: 10-Feb-2000 Junior Ladies Freeskate	Winterhurst Revisited Well, Winterhurst was much the same today as yesterday, so there is no news here on the Novice events. Please see the reports at Ann's Nationals page. The people from the Local Organizing Committee finally returned my calls from yesterday. The first individual was not much help and kept insisting that since I got in the front door I had actually attended the event. The second person was much more rational and explained that the sheer amount of the attendance took everybody by surprise. (Rink 1 at Winterhurst is rated for a max attendance of 2000, this limit was clearly being ignored in order to fit in as many people as were there). In addition he explained that the USFSA had chosen which events were held in which venue (when I first complained, it was to USFSA people who directed me to the LOC), and that their original proposal to the USFSA had had a larger second facility, which had been turned down because it would have been a temporary ice surface. In summary I would like to say three things: I am very happy for the Novice skaters, who were probably thrilled at the turnout. Given the room capacity, it was completely irresponsible for them to allow so many people in. Despite any disappointment that I may have felt at being turned away (and I would have raised a stink about it, I assure you), I am even more concerned about what would have happened in that rink had an emergency occurred. We can all thank God that nothing happened. This time. I am very disappointed at the USFSA and all involved in organizing this. Perhaps the size of the turnout was a surprise, but it certainly could have been handled better both in the selection of the venue and its management during the event. Jr. Men's Practice (Long Program) After returning from the futile attempt to see the Novice long programs, we decided that we would like to see some skating, so we went to see what practices were going on at the Gund. We saw only part of one warmup group of the Junior Men's practice, but we were pleasantly surprised by what we did see. The overall level of presentation in the entire group was very high, and we were pleased by the effort being put into presentation considering the general emphasis on jumps, jumps, jumps. Victor Ehre (Les Miserables) Good axel, clearly working on presentation, expressing music and reaching out to the audience well. David Glynn Tried a triple/triple combo and fell on 2nd triple. Joshua Murphy The choreograpy was a bit stilted in parts, opening with some of that wierd wrist-grabbing posing similar to that done by Michael Weiss. As the program went along the choreography was very nice, with an interesting footwork sequence and good spread-eagle with nice extension, excellent presentation. We were too late to see Jordon Wilson, who is skating to a selection of Civil War era music including Dixie; and Parker Pennington, '98 National Novice Champion, who is someone we have really liked in past Nationals. We would have stayed for the following group of Senior Men, but only two of them (Don Baldwin, Damon Allen) showed up. Since Marshall was getting tired we decided to leave. Tomorrow we will be seeing some of the Junior events, and whatever practices are convenient. With Marshall along we just can't attend as many as we have in past years, so bear with us. Earlier today we saw a senior Men's practice. Timothy Goebel, is working on a three jump series ala Plushenko. I didn't see the beginning of the sequence, so I can't tell you how successful he was at it. Though I did see him do a very clean quad in practice. Ryan Bradley did a series of Arabians into a Button Camel that was a work of art. He had great stretch, extension and lines actually longer than he is. -Richard M. Hartman 7-Feb-2000

7-Feb-2000: Winterhurst Revisited; Men's Practices

Updated: 10-Feb-2000 10-Feb-2000

Cover Page
Day 1: 6-Feb-2000: Novice Men's & Ladies' Short
Day 2: 7-Feb-2000: Winterhurst Revisited; Jr. Men's practice
Day 3: 8-Feb-2000: Sr. Ladies Practice; Jr. Ladies Short; Sr. Pairs Practice
Day 4: 9-Feb-2000: Junior Men's Short Program
Day 5: 10-Feb-2000: Junior Ladies Freeskate

Winterhurst Revisited

Well, Winterhurst was much the same today as yesterday, so there is no news here on the Novice events. Please see the reports at Ann's Nationals page.

The people from the Local Organizing Committee finally returned my calls from yesterday. The first individual was not much help and kept insisting that since I got in the front door I had actually attended the event. The second person was much more rational and explained that the sheer amount of the attendance took everybody by surprise. (Rink 1 at Winterhurst is rated for a max attendance of 2000, this limit was clearly being ignored in order to fit in as many people as were there).

In addition he explained that the USFSA had chosen which events were held in which venue (when I first complained, it was to USFSA people who directed me to the LOC), and that their original proposal to the USFSA had had a larger second facility, which had been turned down because it would have been a temporary ice surface.

In summary I would like to say three things:

I am very happy for the Novice skaters, who were probably thrilled at the turnout.
Given the room capacity, it was completely irresponsible for them to allow so many people in. Despite any disappointment that I may have felt at being turned away (and I would have raised a stink about it, I assure you), I am even more concerned about what would have happened in that rink had an emergency occurred. We can all thank God that nothing happened. This time.
I am very disappointed at the USFSA and all involved in organizing this. Perhaps the size of the turnout was a surprise, but it certainly could have been handled better both in the selection of the venue and its management during the event.

Jr. Men's Practice (Long Program)

After returning from the futile attempt to see the Novice long programs, we decided that we would like to see some skating, so we went to see what practices were going on at the Gund. We saw only part of one warmup group of the Junior Men's practice, but we were pleasantly surprised by what we did see. The overall level of presentation in the entire group was very high, and we were pleased by the effort being put into presentation considering the general emphasis on jumps, jumps, jumps.

Victor Ehre (Les Miserables): Good axel, clearly working on presentation, expressing music and reaching out to the audience well.
David Glynn: Tried a triple/triple combo and fell on 2nd triple.
Joshua Murphy: The choreograpy was a bit stilted in parts, opening with some of that wierd wrist-grabbing posing similar to that done by Michael Weiss. As the program went along the choreography was very nice, with an interesting footwork sequence and good spread-eagle with nice extension, excellent presentation.

We were too late to see Jordon Wilson, who is skating to a selection of Civil War era music including Dixie; and Parker Pennington, '98 National Novice Champion, who is someone we have really liked in past Nationals.

We would have stayed for the following group of Senior Men, but only two of them (Don Baldwin, Damon Allen) showed up. Since Marshall was getting tired we decided to leave.

Tomorrow we will be seeing some of the Junior events, and whatever practices are convenient. With Marshall along we just can't attend as many as we have in past years, so bear with us.

Earlier today we saw a senior Men's practice. Timothy Goebel, is working on a three jump series ala Plushenko. I didn't see the beginning of the sequence, so I can't tell you how successful he was at it. Though I did see him do a very clean quad in practice. Ryan Bradley did a series of Arabians into a Button Camel that was a work of art. He had great stretch, extension and lines actually longer than he is.

-Richard M. Hartman
7-Feb-2000

Updated: 7-Feb-2000