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Cat's Lair 2001 U.S. Worlds Diaries

Index	23-Mar-2001: Ladies Short
Updated: 30-Mar-2001 Cover Page Pre-event We will be driving up to Vancouver on the 16th & 17th. The diary entries will start after that. 18-Mar-2001 Getting Started 19-Mar-2001 Pairs Short 20-Mar-2001 Men's Short 21-Mar-2001 Ladies Qual, Group B Pairs Free Ladies Qual, Group A 22-Mar-2001 Men's Free 23-Mar-2001 Ladies Short 24-Mar-2001 Ladies Free	Ladies Short Okay I saw all but the first three ladies skate. But I took no notes for the last two flights and you will have to rely on my memory for them. You may have noticed I give more details for the lower ranked skaters. There are two reasons for this. First of all I know that you will see the higher ranked skaters on tv and can judge for yourselves. I like to give people info they might not other wise get. Also by the time we get to the higher ranked skaters Marshall is usually getting fussier and I don't have a chance to take notes. Netherlands - Karen Venhuizen She skated to Nessum Dorma. She landed a triple loop, a combination that was either triple flip/double toe or triple toe/double toe, and fell on the double axel. China - Taipei Carina Chen I always enjoyed Carina back when she was at US Nationals. She is a very musical and graceful skater. She was that today, but she had no jumps to go with the grace. She fell on the triple lutz, doubled the flip and started to go into the axel and then pulled back. She has a gorgeous layback with a very deep arch in her back. Croatia - Idora Hegel She fell on the triple lutz, triple out of steps was fine and so was a double axel. She has bery long legs that she extends well and look beautiful in her camel spin. She did an excellent circular step sequence with this very cool little hops. Belarus - Julia Soldatova She is no longer a bleached blonde, good that blonde color looked terrible on her. She now has auburn hair that looks much better. She skated to Spanish guitar music in a red dress. Landed triple lutz/double toe, triple flip and double axel. Good speed all around. Germany - Susanne Stadlmuller Triple/double was fine as were the triple out of steps and the double axel. She skated to a tango, did a catch foot layback and had good flow. Switzerland - Sarah Meier I have an unbroken record of being fanatical about Swiss skatie girls. I loved Natalie Kreig, then Lucinda Ruh and I am on my way to loving Sarah. She landed triple lutz/double toe, triple out of steps was fine and so was her double axel. She has a pretty layback spins, and great extension in her camel. She has fast spins, with beautiful positions. Though her spins are nothing like Lucinda's or Natalie's. Very musical and graceful skater. Slovak Republic - Zuzana Babiakova Fell on her loop, landed double axel and triple lutz/double toe. She has great leg extension which gives her a gorgeous camel spin and shotgun spin. Bulgaria - Hristina Vassileva Fell on her lutz, two footed another jump that I couldn't clearly see what it was. She landed a double axel. She held her spirals nicely. Demark - Mikkeline Kierkgaard The best part about coming to Worlds is discovering a new skater you just love. Then you can spend years complaining that ABC never shows you the skater you love so much because she doesn't have a lutz. Mikkeline is my new designated skater I love that I never get to see again. She has great presentation, skates to the music and interprets the music. She landed triple/double, triple out of steps and double axel just great. She skated to a jazzy version of Blues in the Night and really performed a bluesy, stylish dance to the music. Canada - Jennifer Robinson She has beautiful arms. You can really see even better in person how balletic her arm movements are. She landed her triple lutz/double toe and then fell on the triple flip, double axel was fine. Korea - Bit-Na Park Skated to Schindler's List, which is getting to be almost as overused as Malaguena. She did a triple with an extra turn/double, doubled the sal and landed double axel. Hungary - Tamara Dorofejev She has very long legs and blond hair in a ponytail and when I first saw her I thought she was Victoria Volchkova. Landed a triple/ double loop combo and had a big smile on her face when she did it. She missed her jump out of steps never really got in the air so I can't tell what it was supposed to have been. Landed a double axel, she did a catch foot lay and an Oksansa spin. Finland - Elina Kettunen Landed triple lutz/double toe, triple loop and double axel, had a beautiful camel spin. Hungary - Julia Sebestyen Landed double axel and had very good height on her triple flip. She had fast footwork. Her combo comes very late in the program and unfortunately she double the lutz and stepped out of the toe. She did a closing Bielman spin. France - Laetia Hubert This is my third worlds, 92, 98, and 01, and Laetia has been to all of them. You have to admire the longevity if nothing else. I wonder what keeps her going and keeps her motivated. And how the heck can she afford it. She did a pop jump and then a triple for her combination. The triple flip and double axel were fine. Uzbekistan - Tatiana Malinina Oh poor girl. She fell out of the lutz and fell on the flip, axel was fine. Japan - Fumie Suguri Oh my she is being robbed blind. She skated a beautiful short program, full of joy and expression and very graceful. She had good speed and landed every jump well, triple lutz/double toe, triple flip and double axel. She got a rousing standing ovation, she touched the audience far more than lots of skaters ahead of her.She should be much higher. The worst part is that she was robbed so badly she won't be in the final flight so ABC won't show her on tv. She is in 8th and way being robbed. Russia - Maria Butyrskaia What do the judges see in this woman? This was such a travesty, she actually beat Fumie in the presentation score and it was her presentation that was hideous. She landed all her jumps. But she was slow as molasses, her music is only one long hum so there was nothing to interpret and no expression. 6th for no apparent reason. Italy - Silivia Fontana Oh my gosh! This is one of those skaters I was talking about who I love but couldn't make top ten because she doesn't have a lutz. Only now she has a lutz! She landed triple lutz/double toe, triple flip and double axel. She has great flexibility and does a lot of flexible spins and spirals. And she is personality squared, with enough expression and musicality to loan some to Butyrskaia. She is in 10th and I am so happy for her. Ukraine - Elena Liashenko Landed triple lutz/double toe, triple flip and double axel. She skated well, but not very exciting. I would have put her behind Silivia on the second mark. The judges put her 9th USA - Michelle Kwan East of Eden is such a beautiful program and Michelle just seems to float right through the music. She had great exits from her triple flip and double axel with lots of flow. She two footed the triple lutz/double toe. But her spiral and footwork sequences are the best and most difficult in the competition. The crowd roared when she did that split jump in her footwork. The crowd actually started standing up for her during her spiral sequence. Loud and long and well deserved standing ovation. She is in 2nd. Russia - Irina Slutskaia No I am not planning this, but somehow Marshall always needs to be changed when Slutie skates. Today he messed his diaper just before Michelle, so as soon as she finished skating, I had to run up to the bathroom. I missed Slutie entirely. I have been told she skated clean and fast. 1st. Russia - Victoria Vochkova She landed triple lutz/double toe, triple flip and double axel. She skated fine, but she was very slow. I think that is why the Americans were all put ahead of her. Also she doesn't have the line and grace of the Americans, but neither does Slutie and well you can see where this is going. Anyway 5th place USA - Sarah Hughes Just a great skate, better than Boston I think. She skated with more ease, faster and with more feeling. She landed triple lutz/double loop, triple flip and double axel. Another standing O. 4th France - Vanessa Gusmeroli She made only a tiny mistake, but so many girls skated perfectly that it really cost her. She did triple lutz, with an extra turn/double toe, triple flip and double axel. She is in 7th USA - Angela Nikodinov This must have been the skate of Angela's life. To be there you would never have guessed that she once had a problem of touching the audience or feeling the music. There was genuine emotion in her skating and gracefulness second only to Michelle. She landed triple lutz/double toe, triple flip and double axel. And of course she has the best layback spin. In a huge surprise she was put ahead of Sarah, and I think she really deserved it. Standing ovation and 3rd place.

Index

23-Mar-2001: Ladies Short

Updated: 30-Mar-2001

Cover Page

Pre-event

We will be driving up to Vancouver on the 16th & 17th. The diary entries will start after that.

18-Mar-2001

Getting Started

19-Mar-2001

Pairs Short

20-Mar-2001

Men's Short

21-Mar-2001

22-Mar-2001

Men's Free

23-Mar-2001

Ladies Short

24-Mar-2001

Ladies Free

Ladies Short

Okay I saw all but the first three ladies skate. But I took no notes for the last two flights and you will have to rely on my memory for them. You may have noticed I give more details for the lower ranked skaters. There are two reasons for this. First of all I know that you will see the higher ranked skaters on tv and can judge for yourselves. I like to give people info they might not other wise get. Also by the time we get to the higher ranked skaters Marshall is usually getting fussier and I don't have a chance to take notes.

Netherlands - Karen Venhuizen: She skated to Nessum Dorma. She landed a triple loop, a combination that was either triple flip/double toe or triple toe/double toe, and fell on the double axel.
China - Taipei Carina Chen: I always enjoyed Carina back when she was at US Nationals. She is a very musical and graceful skater. She was that today, but she had no jumps to go with the grace. She fell on the triple lutz, doubled the flip and started to go into the axel and then pulled back. She has a gorgeous layback with a very deep arch in her back.
Croatia - Idora Hegel: She fell on the triple lutz, triple out of steps was fine and so was a double axel. She has bery long legs that she extends well and look beautiful in her camel spin. She did an excellent circular step sequence with this very cool little hops.
Belarus - Julia Soldatova: She is no longer a bleached blonde, good that blonde color looked terrible on her. She now has auburn hair that looks much better. She skated to Spanish guitar music in a red dress. Landed triple lutz/double toe, triple flip and double axel. Good speed all around.
Germany - Susanne Stadlmuller: Triple/double was fine as were the triple out of steps and the double axel. She skated to a tango, did a catch foot layback and had good flow.
Switzerland - Sarah Meier: I have an unbroken record of being fanatical about Swiss skatie girls. I loved Natalie Kreig, then Lucinda Ruh and I am on my way to loving Sarah. She landed triple lutz/double toe, triple out of steps was fine and so was her double axel. She has a pretty layback spins, and great extension in her camel. She has fast spins, with beautiful positions. Though her spins are nothing like Lucinda's or Natalie's. Very musical and graceful skater.
Slovak Republic - Zuzana Babiakova: Fell on her loop, landed double axel and triple lutz/double toe. She has great leg extension which gives her a gorgeous camel spin and shotgun spin.
Bulgaria - Hristina Vassileva: Fell on her lutz, two footed another jump that I couldn't clearly see what it was. She landed a double axel. She held her spirals nicely.
Demark - Mikkeline Kierkgaard: The best part about coming to Worlds is discovering a new skater you just love. Then you can spend years complaining that ABC never shows you the skater you love so much because she doesn't have a lutz. Mikkeline is my new designated skater I love that I never get to see again. She has great presentation, skates to the music and interprets the music. She landed triple/double, triple out of steps and double axel just great. She skated to a jazzy version of Blues in the Night and really performed a bluesy, stylish dance to the music.
Canada - Jennifer Robinson: She has beautiful arms. You can really see even better in person how balletic her arm movements are. She landed her triple lutz/double toe and then fell on the triple flip, double axel was fine.
Korea - Bit-Na Park: Skated to Schindler's List, which is getting to be almost as overused as Malaguena. She did a triple with an extra turn/double, doubled the sal and landed double axel.
Hungary - Tamara Dorofejev: She has very long legs and blond hair in a ponytail and when I first saw her I thought she was Victoria Volchkova. Landed a triple/ double loop combo and had a big smile on her face when she did it. She missed her jump out of steps never really got in the air so I can't tell what it was supposed to have been. Landed a double axel, she did a catch foot lay and an Oksansa spin.
Finland - Elina Kettunen: Landed triple lutz/double toe, triple loop and double axel, had a beautiful camel spin.
Hungary - Julia Sebestyen: Landed double axel and had very good height on her triple flip. She had fast footwork. Her combo comes very late in the program and unfortunately she double the lutz and stepped out of the toe. She did a closing Bielman spin.
France - Laetia Hubert: This is my third worlds, 92, 98, and 01, and Laetia has been to all of them. You have to admire the longevity if nothing else. I wonder what keeps her going and keeps her motivated. And how the heck can she afford it. She did a pop jump and then a triple for her combination. The triple flip and double axel were fine.
Uzbekistan - Tatiana Malinina: Oh poor girl. She fell out of the lutz and fell on the flip, axel was fine.
Japan - Fumie Suguri: Oh my she is being robbed blind. She skated a beautiful short program, full of joy and expression and very graceful. She had good speed and landed every jump well, triple lutz/double toe, triple flip and double axel. She got a rousing standing ovation, she touched the audience far more than lots of skaters ahead of her.She should be much higher. The worst part is that she was robbed so badly she won't be in the final flight so ABC won't show her on tv. She is in 8th and way being robbed.
Russia - Maria Butyrskaia: What do the judges see in this woman? This was such a travesty, she actually beat Fumie in the presentation score and it was her presentation that was hideous. She landed all her jumps. But she was slow as molasses, her music is only one long hum so there was nothing to interpret and no expression. 6th for no apparent reason.
Italy - Silivia Fontana: Oh my gosh! This is one of those skaters I was talking about who I love but couldn't make top ten because she doesn't have a lutz. Only now she has a lutz! She landed triple lutz/double toe, triple flip and double axel. She has great flexibility and does a lot of flexible spins and spirals. And she is personality squared, with enough expression and musicality to loan some to Butyrskaia. She is in 10th and I am so happy for her.
Ukraine - Elena Liashenko: Landed triple lutz/double toe, triple flip and double axel. She skated well, but not very exciting. I would have put her behind Silivia on the second mark. The judges put her 9th
USA - Michelle Kwan: East of Eden is such a beautiful program and Michelle just seems to float right through the music. She had great exits from her triple flip and double axel with lots of flow. She two footed the triple lutz/double toe. But her spiral and footwork sequences are the best and most difficult in the competition. The crowd roared when she did that split jump in her footwork. The crowd actually started standing up for her during her spiral sequence. Loud and long and well deserved standing ovation. She is in 2nd.
Russia - Irina Slutskaia: No I am not planning this, but somehow Marshall always needs to be changed when Slutie skates. Today he messed his diaper just before Michelle, so as soon as she finished skating, I had to run up to the bathroom. I missed Slutie entirely. I have been told she skated clean and fast. 1st.
Russia - Victoria Vochkova: She landed triple lutz/double toe, triple flip and double axel. She skated fine, but she was very slow. I think that is why the Americans were all put ahead of her. Also she doesn't have the line and grace of the Americans, but neither does Slutie and well you can see where this is going. Anyway 5th place
USA - Sarah Hughes: Just a great skate, better than Boston I think. She skated with more ease, faster and with more feeling. She landed triple lutz/double loop, triple flip and double axel. Another standing O. 4th
France - Vanessa Gusmeroli: She made only a tiny mistake, but so many girls skated perfectly that it really cost her. She did triple lutz, with an extra turn/double toe, triple flip and double axel. She is in 7th
USA - Angela Nikodinov: This must have been the skate of Angela's life. To be there you would never have guessed that she once had a problem of touching the audience or feeling the music. There was genuine emotion in her skating and gracefulness second only to Michelle. She landed triple lutz/double toe, triple flip and double axel. And of course she has the best layback spin. In a huge surprise she was put ahead of Sarah, and I think she really deserved it. Standing ovation and 3rd place.

Updated: 24-Mar-2001