Cat's Lair 2002 Nationals Diary

Jan. 6-13, 2002

Cover Page

Day 1: 6-Jan-2002

• Novice Men Short (08-Jan-2002 03:01 AM)
• Novice Ladies Short (09-Jan-2002 10:18 PM)
• Novice Pairs Short (22-Jan-2002 01:11 AM)

Novice Men Short Program

Jason Wong

They saved the best for first. Despite skating first Jason held onto first place throughout the competition. He landed a solid axel, a triple lutz/double toe combinations, one of very few triple lutzes. He didn't have any flow coming out of the combination, but it was landed cleanly. He did a pancake sit spin, and had a big smile on his face during his circular step sequence. In his combination spin he did a sit spin with arms held up straight up behind his back. After he ended the program he pumped his fist and said "yes!"

Robert Dierking

Skated to Saber Dance Also landed a triple lutz/double toe. He had really good height on his flying sit spin. Double loop out of steps was fine and his double axel has good flow. He had nice speed and positions in his combination spin. He also pumped his arms in victory after he finished his program. He is in third.

Michael Novales

He did a double axel, and some nice spread eagles going into a triple/double combo. He had a couple of extra hops between jumps in his combination. He had very deep edges. He is in 7th place.

Mark McLeod

His double axel had really good height but he fell on it, maybe it was too high. He fell on what would have been his combination spin. He did a lovely series of back spiral into ina baur into a double loop. Unfortunately the falls put him in 13th.

Adam Baadani

He did a triple/double combo. His camel spin had nice speed. His double axle was fine and so was his double loop out of steps. His final sit spin into a scratch spin was slow. He is in 6th place.

Michael Dimlanta

He started out with a beautiful ina baur, very well done with excellent position and extension. His double axel almost hit the boards but he managed to land it clean. His double loop out of steps was fine, but his sit spin wobbled a bit. He is in tenth.

Luis Hernandez

His triple/double combination was excellent. His jump out of steps was fine, but he fell on his double axel. He had nice position in his camel spin and he ended with a headless scratch spin. He is in fourth place.

Wesley Campbell

Whoah! Someone put this kid on a stretching machine. Last year he was a little boy and now he is a young man. How do these things happen so fast? His double axel was okay, as was a triple lutz/double toe combination. He did a series of three turns into a double loop. He had a good step squence that included a spread eagle and some nice hops. He is in fifth place.

Evan Gibbs

He fell out of the triple in a triple/double combination. The double axel and double loop were fine. He skated to "Paint It Black" He is in 9th place.

David Weintraub

He wore a suite with a red tie, and skated to swing music. Not the classic stuff but one of the new swing bands, I am not sure which. He did a triple lutz/double toe, but two footed the lutz. His double axel was well timed to the music to a dramatic effect. His double loop was fine. He did a very nice split jump with good height and extension. HE is in eleventh place

Casey McCraw

He skated to the music from JFK. He had really nice line so you know I liked him. He did a triple/double combination, but fell out of the triple. He did a double loop with an arm flourish. His double axel was very smooth with great flow in the takeoff and landing. He is in second place.

Jeremy Abbot

He had good speed. I wrote "way good" double axel, but I don't remember if that is referring to height or speed, or both. He did a triple/double combo that was two footed. He popped the loop jump. He had a big smile on his face. He is in 12th.

John Seppe

He two footed the triple in his combination and put his hand down on the double toe. Double axel was fine as was the loop out of steps. He did a nice spiral and spread eagle and moved well to the music, he had good timing. He ended with a split jump into a combination spin. He is in 8th place.

Copyright © 2002, Antoinette M. Aubert