Skate America Lineup Confirmed
ISU Posts Skate America Competitors
Figure skaters from across the globe are set to kick off the 2006 season at Skate America in Hartford, Connecticut, October 26-29.
The August 15th deadline has passed for entries to be received for the competition, and 65 athletes have confirmed their intent to participate in the first of six events in the ISU Grand Prix series.
According to the USFSA, over half of the competitors are 2006 Olympians. Nearly all the reigning world champions are included.
Team USA looks for at least a repeat of last year's success when they won a medal in every discipline. This shouldn't be too difficult. World Champion Kimmie Meissner leads the pack, even though she finished only fifth her first time in the senior series events last year.
Kimmie will be challenged this year, during her first appearance at Skate America, by the 2005 Grand Prix Final champion. Mao Asada is a Japanese skater who was too young last season to compete at the Olympics and Worlds. She will be a major contender in international figure skating this year. Mao's older sister, Mai, is also representing Japan at Skate America. Sibling rivalry may be interrupted by fellow team member, Miki Ando.
Rounding out the top ladies are sixth place Worlds competitor Sarah Meier of Switzerland, Olympian Emily Hughes, and 2006 Four Continents Champ Katy Taylor of the USA. Russian Viktoria Volchkova, Aussie Joanne Carter, Hungarian Idora Hegel, and Finnish skater Kira Korpi will also compete.
Evan Lysacek's third appearance at Skate America might be golden after he won a silver at last year's event. Evan just squeaked by Japan's Nobunari Oda at the 2006 World Champions to claim the bronze medal. Their rematch should be very close.
Relatively new to the world scene, and eighth place Worlds finisher, is Frenchman Alban Preaubert. Kevin van der Perren of Belgium hopes to charm the crowd once again, after fourth place Skate America and ninth place Olympic finishes. The US is also sending skaters Ryan Bradley and Scott Smith. Canadians Christopher Mabee & Nicholas Young, Germany's Stefan Lindemann, Japan's Yasuharu Nanri, and Russian Sergei Voronov complete the men's competitors list.
Rena Inoue & John Baldwin tempt the history books again this year with their throw triple axel. If they can land it during a Grand Prix event, they will gain a personal victory as well. 2006 World champions Qing Pang and Jian Tong of China, aren't very worried about the US pair. While this Chinese couple isn't notorious for throwing the hardest trick in the book, it was obvious at Worlds who dominated the international circuit. Pang and Tong's split triple twist was so high at Worlds, he actually kept throwing her out of my camera's view finder. Their light and romantic artistry matches their athleticism stoke for stroke (despite what World Silver Medallists Zhang's would like to believe.)
2005 World Junior champions Maria Mukhortova and Maxim Trankov of Russia join the rivalry, as do US pairs Tiffany Vise & Derek Trent, and former singles sweetpea Naomi Nari Nam with her partner Themi Leftheris.
Other pairs skating at the event will be Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison along with Canadian teammates Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay, Marylin Pla and Yannick Bonheur of France, and Dominika Piatkowska with Dmitri Khromin of Poland.
Skate America ice dancing titles are unpredictable this year - at least below the top spot. 2005 World Junior champions Morgan Matthews & Maxim Zavozin join three-time Worlds competitors Melissa Gregory & Denis Petukhov. Both US dance teams hope to hold their own against 2006 World champions Albena Denkova and Maxim Staviski of Bulgaria.
Natalia Mikhailova and Arkadi Sergeev, 2006 World Junior championships second place finishers will also compete against newcomers Kimberly Navarro & Brent Bommentre of the US. Seven other dance teams have entered the competition, including Canadians Chantal Lefebvre with Arseni Markov, the Kerr's of Great Briton, and the Zaretski's of Israel.
Grand Prix events will take place in Canada, China, France, Russia and Japan, following Skate America. Skaters compete in two of the six events. The ISU Grand Prix Final, held this year in St. Petersburg, Russia, will decide the overall winners in each discipline. The final takes place December 14-17.
