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IN GRAND STYLE A


2012 HILTON HHONORS SKATE AMERICA U.S. KICKS OFF SEASON AT HOME, WINNING FOUR MEDALS


shley Wagner and ice danc- ers Meryl Davis and Char- lie White carted home gold medals to lead the United


States at 2012 Hilton HHonors Skate America in Kent, Wash. Te kickoff event of the ISU


Grand Prix of Figure Skating Se- ries took place Oct. 19‒21 at the ShoWare Center and starred all of the 2012 U.S. champions. Adding to the medal haul were


two first-time Grand Prix medalists: Christina Gao won a surprising sil- ver, and Caydee Denney and John Coughlin flew home from the Pa- cific Northwest with some bronze hardware. For Wagner, the victory comes on the heels of a breakthrough campaign in which she won her first U.S. title, claimed her first in- ternational crown at the Four Con- tinents Championships and placed fourth at the World Champion- ships.


Last year’s self-proclaimed


moniker of the “Almost Girl” is now most certainly obsolete fol- lowing a convincing victory in her Skate America debut.


“Tis was the one phrase that I honestly think I only said once,” Wagner said. “Everybody heard it and latched onto it. It’s certainly how I’ve felt in years past. I feel now I can let that go. It’s not that I’m a different person than I was. I’m


Coach John Nicks and his star pupil Ashley Wagner show their excitement in the kiss and cry.


Rachael Flatt


finished fifth at the last three U.S. Championships and last year placed fifth and 10th at her first two Grand Prix Series events, put together her best competition ever, finishing with 174.25 points. She placed third in the short


program and second in the free skate, in which she landed six triple jumps.


16 DECEMBER 2012


the exact same person; I just have the mental strength to perform as I do in practice, which makes it a lot more enjoyable.” Wagner won both the short


program and free skate in Kent en route to a total score of 188.37


Ashley Wagner


points. It was her first Grand Prix Series triumph in 11 Series events. Alissa Czisny won 2011


Skate


America with 177.48 points. Undoubtedly the shock of the


ladies event was the silver-medal effort of Gao. Te skater, who has


Christina Gao


PHOTOS BY OTTO GREULE JR./GETTY IMAGES


PHOTO BY JAY ADEFF


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