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To be the best figure skater in the nation requires passing approx. 20 skating tests, ranking in at least that many competitions, practicing for thousands of hours on and off the ice, spending oodles of money for ice time, custom designed skates and costumes and top notch coaching, it takes the right choice of music and choreography, an intense sense of discipline, and unlimited motivation before skaters make it even to the qualifying events before going on to Nationals. I never competed at Nationals, nor was it ever really a goal of mine. I didn’t have that kind of discipline, motivation, talent or athleticism and I wasn't willing to take that much time out of my daily life for one purpose. I did pass 16 tests as a child skater and another four as an Adult competitor in order to qualify and participate in the U.S. Adult Figure Skating Championships where I won a few medals, I’ve competed in over 20 competitions including internationally, and I worked hard for many memorable moments on the ice. When I watch competitions, I sometimes feel my muscles automatically contracting in anticipation of the jumps coming up, and I know what that look on their faces means when they lose concentration and what it will cost in their marks. Watching Nationals has been a little different for me this year - rather than being there or watching a delayed, cropped version of the event on TV, I was able to see the entire competition live on my laptop, thanks to the icenetwork.com coverage. It felt somewhere between being there and watching on TV. I was able to see all the skaters warm-up, perform, and wait for their marks. I could actually hear the coaches giving feedback to the skaters after their programs while in the "Kiss & Cry" area. It was a whole new experience and I’m totally hooked. Now for the Senior Ladies Short Program report... if you plan to watch the video online or TV coverage, don't read past this point because I will tell you who dazzled, who fell, and who's in the lead. Last night, the Senior Ladies battled for top marks in the Short Program event (two minutes and forty seconds) in order to set themselves up for Saturday’s Free Skate (four minutes) where the top points add up to the title. Of the 20 competitors in the Senior Ladies event, Caroline Zhang was the first of the top contenders to skate. Zhang, the reigning Junior World Champion, showed the nerve to attempt a high point triple-triple combination, but she stepped out of the second jump, was tentative on her double axel and slow on her footwork, leaving room for the skaters to overtake her marks. Following Zhang, Beatrisa Liang, whose bodysuit would not have been legal in competition a few years back, popped her triple lutz (stopping the attempt at rotation mid-air), but her speed and presentation moved her into the lead. Kimmie Meissner, 2006 World Champion and 2007 U.S. champion, known for being the second U.S. lady to land a triple axel in major competition, skated in the second group. Meissner won Skate America in September but had a rocky performance at the Grand Prix Final, finishing sixth. With her title on the line and as the incoming favorite, Meissner began her program looking strong, but suffered an uncharacteristic fall on her triple flip – she just didn’t have the height to pull it off. However, due to the height on her other jumps, her speed, and the degree of difficulty in her other moves, she was able to pull into first. Becky Bereswill, the first skater to perform a clean (no errors) program, was put into sixth at that point in the event, prompting the crowd to boo. The new judging system still leaves people confused – why not reward a perfect program? The devil’s in the details. Her elements just weren’t as difficult. She’s in 14th after the Short Program. Alyssa Czissny, 2007 U.S. bronze medalist, known for amazing spins and artistry, skated with a cast on her wrist due to a broken thumb. She stepped-out of her triple lutz combination, two-footed her triple flip, and fell on her double axel. I give her credit just for showing-up with that cast and she still looked beautiful. Katrina Hacker, the second competitor to skate a clean program, had a gorgeous spiral and strong jumps, putting her into second behind Meissner and warming the crowd just
