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Women's short program a scary sight to behold
All the top competitors, including 1995 world bronze medallist and local favourite Nicole Bobek, fell or missed required elements in the short program last night, underwhelming the subdued crowd of about 2,500 at Joe Louis Arena.
Bobek, echoing her disastrous 17th-place performance at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, fell while attempting a triple flip, missing her combination in the process. She placed fourth.
TRIPLE PUTZ
Russia's Maria Butyrskaya, the 1998 world bronze medallist, won yesterday's short, even though she fell attempting a Triple Lutz and missed her combination.
The difference between Butyrskaya and the rest of the field was in presentation scores.
Despite her fall, the Russian earned nine 5.7s for presentation.
Windsor's Jennifer Robinson, the 1996 Canadian champion, fell while attempting a Triple Lutz, and also missed her required combo. Unlike Butyrskaya, Robinson's presentation scores were low, ranging from a dismal 4.8 from the Austrian judge to 5.4s from the German and -- surprise -- Canadian judges. The Mariposa Winter Club skater is eighth heading into tonight's freeskate.
Placing a surprising second was American Angela Nikodinov, whose top performance internationally coming into last night's event was a fourth at this summer's Goodwill Games. Russia's Elena Sokolova, who was seventh in Nagano, is third.
All in all, a very uninspiring evening.
Bobek's coach, the esteemed Richard Callaghan, was not impressed, even though Skate America is the first major competition of the year.
"It looks almost like this was a week before everyone wanted to do it," he said.
In the original ice-dance competition, perennial Canadian silver medallists Chantal Lefebvre and Michel Brunet of the Minto Skating Club in Ottawa actually moved up one notch to fifth place, despite Lefebvre hitting the deck during their routine, which was skated to the schmaltzy It's An Unusual Day.
Olympic bronze medallists Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat of France placed first, followed by Russians Irina Lobacheva and Ilia Averbukh.