Juvenile, intermediate skaters take aim on Omaha
Juvenile and intermediate skaters
will follow the same path as their nov- ice, junior and senior counterparts this season as they attempt to qualify for the 2013 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Omaha, Neb., Jan. 19- 27.
With the abolishment of the U.S. Junior Championships as a stand-alone event, the national championships for ju- venile and intermediate athletes will now be incorporated into the U.S. Champion- ships annually starting in 2013. Like the novice, junior and senior
ranks, juvenile and intermediate singles skaters will compete at one of nine re- gional championships. The top four sin- gles skaters in each event at the regional championships will advance to their re- spective sectional championships. The top four from each event, including pairs and dance, will then advance from the sectional events to the U.S. Champion- ships.
Juvenile and intermediate events
are tentatively scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 24 through Sunday, Jan. 27 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium and the practice ice at the Omaha Convention Center. The new structure will be closely
monitored and evaluated for two sea- sons, and any additional changes, im- provements or tweaks will be considered for the 2015 competitive season.
JGP, senior events on tap for fall in U.S.
U.S. Figure Skating will host two in-
ternational events this fall. Some of the top junior skaters will make their way to Lake Placid, N.Y., Aug. 29–Sept. 2, to com- pete at the 2012 Junior Grand Prix-United States. A few weeks later, several senior international competitors will converge on Salt Lake City, Utah, Sept. 12–16, for the U.S. Senior International Figure Skat- ing Competition. The Junior Grand Prix competition
will be part of the 16th ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series, which con- sists of seven international events in a cumulative point-scoring format. The top point-earners in each discipline qualify for the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final. Lake Placid also hosted JGP events in 2007 and ’09 and 2009 Skate America. The competition in Utah will take
place at the Salt Lake City Sports Com- plex, which was an offi cial training facility of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. The facility features two Olympic-sized ice surfaces and a fi tness center. The full list of competitors for both events will be announced at a later date.
Big-time cast scheduled for Weiss show
The eighth annual Michael Weiss Foundation Ice Champions LIVE show on Sept. 8 will feature a superstar cast, including U.S. ladies champion Ashley Wagner and 1988 Olympic champion Brian Boitano. The event will be held at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex
in Arlington, Va. Proceeds from the show help promising skaters reach their Olympic dreams. More than $455,000 in scholarships has been awarded to date. Weiss, a three-time U.S. champion and two-time
Olympian, started his foundation with the purpose of helping young skaters meet the signifi cant fi nancial commitment of reaching the top levels of skating. “Our foundation helps families in need with coach-
ing, choreography, home-school and other training-re- lated expenses,” Weiss said. Those attending Ice Champions LIVE can expect
electric performances from some of the sport’s most dynamic stars. In addition to Weiss’ high-fl ying exploits, 2011 U.S. champion Ryan Bradley will dazzle with his showmanship, and the dance team of Sinead and John Kerr will entertain with their high-energy programs. Also on the roster are skating greats such as Dan Hollander, Caryn Kadavy, Richard Dornbush and Steven Cousins. Ticket prices range from $20 to $50 and
can be purchased at
www.MichaelWeiss.org and
www.Ticketweb.com or by calling 866.468.7630.
HQ Profi le: Gia Witmer I am the new competitions coordinator at U.S. Figure Skating. I provide assistance and
leadership to each organizing committee hosting U.S. Figure Skating qualifying competitions. Those competitions include nine regionals, three sectionals, as well as adult, synchronized and collegiate events. What do you do in your spare time? I enjoy taking my kids to swimming and skating les-
sons, working out, hiking, boating, playing volleyball and learning/testing the U.S. Figure Skat- ing partnered dances. I’m especially excited to take up snowboarding again and I am hopeful that my kids will enjoy learning about all of the snow sports that the beautiful Colorado moun- tains have to off er; maybe I can even entice my husband to enjoy the snow (he’s from Virginia … not sure that will ever happen)! What would people be surprised to know about you? I passed my U.S. Figure Skating
fourth fi gures test, gold moves-in-the-fi eld test and gold free skate tests back in the 90s, and I recently served in the Air Force. What do you cherish the most? The continual support of my family and friends and
watching my kids learn new skills and accomplish big tasks in their little lives. What’s your favorite part of the job? Being able to work hand in hand with each local
organizing committee to ensure they have a successful event for both their organization and for the skaters participating. My favorite thing about my job though is being able to work for a company that motivates and inspires all involved to be the best they can be. Go Team USA! What’s your ideal vacation? A nice, white, sandy beach that off ers parasailing, jet skiing,
beach volleyball, kid-friendly activities, water excursions, maybe even an experience swim- ming with the dolphins. Tell us about your family. I have been
married for seven years to my wonderful hus- band, Jeremy, who is active duty Air Force. We have two amazing kids, Codie, 5, and Maiya, 1. They teach us incredible new things each day. Codie has taken up skating lessons and loves to play hockey. He will play in his fi rst mite hockey league this fall. He is the biggest cuddly bear and loves life (although, what 5- year-old doesn’t)! Maiya is still a bit young t o determine her aspirations; however, she loves when I zoom her around the rink in her skates and complains when we have to get off the ice; we may have a future fi gure skater on our hands.
SKATING 7
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78