2003 U.S. Nationals

Junior Ladies

by Lynn Rutherford

In a Split Decision, Mecher Takes the Lead

The junior ladies took the ice at Reunion Arena for their short programs today, and while there were no exceptional performances, on the whole they had considerably more success landing jumps than did the junior men.

Natalie Mecher, 15, who finished second in the U.S. Novice Championships last year and represented the U.S. at two Grand Prix events this fall, placed first in the short program here. Her cleanly skated routine, performed with good speed to music by Bond, including a triple flip, double toe loop combination, a big double Axel and a double Lutz. She captured five first-place ordinals from the nine judges.

"My goal was to go out there and do the triple flip, double toe, so I’m really happy," said Mecher. Her coach, Alexander Ouriashev, added that she will include a triple Lutz in her long program.

Skating a delicately choreographed routine to Debussy’s "Reverie," Erica Archambault, 14, landed a triple Salchow, double toe loop combination, a double Lutz and a spread eagle with steps into a double Axel. The Eastern sectionals champion had good presence on the ice and her layback and flying camel spins were of high quality. She captured four first-place votes from the judges and finished second.

"It felt really great," said Archambault. "I did everything I had planned and had a really good time."

Archambault and her coaches, Mark Mitchell and Paul Johansson, added that they spent a great deal of time working on musical interpretation and choreography. "I prefer to skate to classical music. I really feel it when I’m out there performing," said Archambault, who will perform her long program to Puccini’s "Madame Butterfly."

Adriana DeSanctis landed the only triple Lutz of the afternoon, but touched down her free foot on the second jump of her triple Salchow, double toe loop combination and had a slightly shaky landing on her double Axel. The 16 year-old, generally considered the pre-event favorite, had to settle for third place.

"I had a great opening jump (the Lutz). I felt good on the combination; I don’t know what happened. I just made a mistake," said DeSanctis, who won two silver medals in Junior Grand Prix events this fall and placed 8^th at the Junior Grand Prix final in the Hague.

Midwestern sectionals champion Alexandra Patterson, 19, had an awkward landing on her triple flip but executed a clean triple toe loop, double toe loop combination to finish fourth. Sitting fifth is Pacific Coast sectionals champion Stephanie Rosenthal, 16, who hit a triple toe loop, double toe loop combination and a big double Axel to go along with some interesting footwork sequences. Shanell Noji, 14, who placed fourth at Pacific Coast sectionals, had fast, well-centered spins, but two-footed her triple toe loop, double toe loop combination and placed sixth.

Many eyes were on Sarah Hughes’ younger sister, Emily, who will turn 14 on January 26^th. Unfortunately, the younger Hughes had a difficult afternoon. Skating to music by Gilbert & Sullivan, the youngster, who placed second at Eastern sectionals, fell on a triple toe loop and is in 12^th place going into the long program.

Archambault’s Artistry Carries the Day

Other competitors may have had tougher jumps in their programs, but 15 year-old Erica Archambault wrapped her technical content in a package that included good choreography and musical interpretation to win the 2003 U.S. junior ladies title.

"Our goal was a clean program. We put in everything she could do well. We didn’t throw in elements we knew she might not be able to complete," said Mark Mitchell, who

coaches Archambault in partnership with Peter Johansson.

Skating to Puccini’s "Madame Butterfly," Archambault opened with a triple Salchow, triple toe loop jump sequence, followed by a double flip, triple loop, and triple toe loop. The second half of her program included a lovely spiral sequence as well as a double Axel, double toe loop combination, a lovely layback spin, and a triple Salchow, double toe loop combination. She closed with a well-done illusion to scratch spin.

"It felt really good. I think it’s the best program I’ve ever done," said Archambault, who will compete as a senior next year. "I was just focusing on doing my best."

Natalie Mecher, the leader after the short, had to settle for second place. Although her program, skated to "Stairway to Heaven," included more difficult jumps – including a triple flip, double toe loop combination and a triple Lutz – her choreography was basic and she lacked Archambault’s musicality.

"I landed my triple Lutz for the first time this season and I’m so excited," said Mecher, who represented the U.S. at two junior Grand Prix events this fall, winning the bronze medal in Slovakia. "I haven’t been training that well, so I wasn’t expecting anything here." Mecher added that academic commitments, in addition to a pulled muscle, had curtailed her practice time. Nevertheless, she is planning to compete as a senior next year.

2003 U.S. Novice Champion Danielle Kahle, who place seventh in the short program after missing two of her jumps, moved up to claim the bronze medal with a strong free program that included six triple jumps, although a few had rough landings.

Kahle opened with a double Axel, followed by a triple flip (her hand nearly touched the ice), a triple toe loop, and a triple Lutz. The second half of her program included a triple toe loop, double toe loop combination, a triple loop and a triple Salchow, double toe loop combination. She closed strongly with a split jump into a double Axel and an exceptionally fast combination spin.

"My goal was to do a nice, clean long," said Kahle, who began training with Frank Carroll this summer. "I want to move up to seniors next year, and my coach said I could if I finished in the top three."

Alexandra Patterson, who was fourth after the short, missed her triple loop and turned out of her triple Lutz, but hit a triple toe loop, double toe loop combination and a slightly two-footed triple flip to finish fourth in the free and fourth overall. Jane Bugaeva, 16, who was third at Eastern sectionals, finished fourth in the long and pulled up to fifth overall. Adriana DeSanctis, who placed third in the short, finished sixth after falling on a triple Lutz and triple toe loop and popping a triple Salchow.

Emily Hughes, the younger sister of Olympic champion Sarah Hughes, took hard falls on her triple Lutz and triple loop and finished 11^th.

Short Program

Free Skating