Pictured on pages 34-35 are (l-r) Max
Aaron, Evan Lysacek, Ashley Wagner and Meryl Davis and Charlie White
Olympics are this year; I don’t know what to expect.’ Tat was exciting and fun, but now we have the experience, we know what to expect, and we can do our job every day.” Davis and White are joined by U.S. teammates Maia Shibutani and Alex Shibutani, the 2011 World bronze medalists who train alongside them in nearby Canton, Mich. Te popular “Shib sibs” are anx-
ious to show off their programs, in- cluding a fun, fast-paced free dance to music from the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. “We’ve really spent a lot of time and
effort with our coaching team, making these two programs the best we possi- bly can,” Maia said. “We’re just ready to share them with everyone.” Te U.S. teams’ biggest challenge will likely come from Italians Anna Cappellini and Luca Lanotte, the 2013 European bronze medalists.
LADIES Two-time U.S. champion Ashley
Wagner, the reigning Skate America cham- pion, headlines a star-studded ladies ros- ter. Te 22-year-old added technical guru Rafael Arutyunyan to her coaching team last spring, a move she thinks will help her master a challenging triple flip-triple toe loop jump combination. “To compete with the top skaters, to be on
the Olympic podium, I really feel I need that triple-triple,” Wagner said. “Te way Rafael has worked on my technique has made the combi- nation a lot smoother and calmer. My success ratio is up. Now it is just doing it every single time, under pressure, when it counts.” Wagner also has the benefit of veteran coach John Nicks, who focuses on her overall
look on the ice. “Mr. Nicks really goes over my programs, the
showmanship of it all, and the mental training,” Wagner said. “It’s going very well.” Former World Junior champion Caroline
Zhang makes her fourth appearance at Skate America, where she won a bronze medal in 2007. She and Wagner are joined by newcomer Saman- tha Cesario, who placed a strong fourth at the 2013 World Junior Championships. Te U.S. ladies will be challenged by two-
time World champion Mao Asada, the reigning Olympic silver medalist, who makes her second appearance at Skate America after winning bronze
in 2006. Te 23-year-old from Japan is the only lady who includes a triple Axel jump in her pro- grams. Two young Russians, Elena Radionova and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, will also challenge for the podium.
PAIRS Two U.S. champions — reigning titleholders
Marissa Castelli and Simon Shnapir, and Caydee Denney and John Coughlin, who won the crown in 2012 — square off in the pairs event. Te Boston-based Castelli and Shnapir have a
not-so-secret weapon up their sleeves: a throw qua- druple Salchow, a maneuver few other pairs have
SKATING 35
JAY ADEFF/U.S. FIGURE SKATING
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