PHOTOS BY JAY ADEFF/U.S. FIGURE SKATING AND MELANIE HOYT/U.S. FIGURE SKATING
MEDALISTS Kim Heim, chair of U.S. Figure Skating’s Ath-
lete Development Committee, called the juvenile and intermediate fields at the U.S. Champion- ships the “deepest” of all the levels when it came to producing quality and entertaining programs. “I thought the programs were wonderful
this year,” she said, adding that her favorite of the entire event came out of the juvenile ranks. “It was a very original, masterful program,” Heim added. The juvenile and intermediate qualifiers
competed on the first two days of the event at the Bloomington Ice Garden, about a 20-minute drive from the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul. The three-sheet ice facility provided the ideal venue for the competition, with spectators filling up one side of the main arena. Heim, also an assistant referee at the event,
said the skaters at these starter levels have upped the ante when it comes to trying more difficult
elements due to new incentives in the rules. “You see a lot more triples being tried,” Heim
said. “We have the fall deductions decreased from -1 to .5 and I think that’s made a difference as well this year.” The creativity and entertainment value of
the performances were certainly on display, which Heim attributes greatly to U.S. Figure Skat- ing’s springtime annual Program Components Camp.
“I think it’s really helped these skaters,” Heim
said. “I’ve seen in the last five years the programs really evolve into some great, entertaining programs. The vocals have helped open up new music choices for the skaters and I think that will continue to evolve. “We also have a new jump camp this spring
through athlete development. It will be a pioneer program, which will be kind of modeled after the components camp with a different staff.”
ABOVE: Girls: (l-r) Hanna Harrell, Stephanie Ciarochi, Reagan Scott, Jill Heiner; Boys: ( l-r) Samuel Mindra, Ilia Malinin, Maxim Zharkov, Philip Baker; BELOW: Pairs: (l-r) Julia Curran/Franz-Peter Jerosch, Isabelle Martins/Ryan Bedard, Cate Fleming/ Jedidiah Isbell, Jenna Gordon/Ian Meyh; Ice Dance: (l-r) Maria Soldatova/Faddey Soldatov, Layla Karnes/Jeffrey Chen, Claire Cain/Andrei Davydov, Shin Lei Case/Maxim Zharkov
GIRLS gold | Stephanie Ciarochi silver | Hanna Harrell bronze | Reagan Scott pewter | Jill Heiner
BOYS
gold | Ilia Malinin silver | Samuel Mindra bronze | Maxim Zharkov pewter | Philip Baker
PAIRS
gold | Isabelle Martins/ Ryan Bedard silver | Julia Curran/ Franz-Peter Jerosch bronze | Cate Fleming/ Jedidiah Isbell pewter | Jenna Gordon/ Ian Meyh
ICE DANCE
gold | Layla Karnes/ Jeffrey Chen silver | Maria Soldatova/ Faddey Soldatov bronze | Claire Cain/ Andrei Davydov pewter | Shin Lei Case/ Maxim Zharkov
50 MARCH 2016
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