Successful World Challenge Cup Concludes in Switzerland
by Kelly Hodge

The Jazz with free skate mascot E.T.

Event Results, News and Photos

(3/13/05) — The 2005 World Junior Challenge Cup concluded Saturday night in Neuchatel, Switzerland, with some great skating and a successful use of the new ISU judging system.

"This Challenge Cup really is a championship for juniors,” said ISU Council Member Marie Lundmark. “This year was the highest level of skating we have ever had here. We saw difficult programs, teams really doing well with the program component section and some very interesting programs.”

All three of the top finishers from the short program were able to hold onto their spots, despite two of the teams finishing a place lower in the free skate. U.S. teams finished seventh and eighth.

The officials also were satisfied with how the judging system worked.

“I am very pleased. It went very well,” said Joanne Shaw of Canada, who served as technical controller. “A lot of preparation went into it. It made for very long days for the technical controllers and technical specialists. We were there for every skate – both the practices and events.

“I'm definitely convinced that the system is good,” she continued. “It rewards coaches for using a strategy and it rewards athletes for what they do – as we saw, in either the technical elements or program components. And, the judges love it! They enjoy the programs much more — they put down their marks and have no idea where they have placed a team.”

The judging system definitely worked in favor of Finland's Musketeers. Coming into the free skate with a lead of just under four points, they finished second in the free skate, but their early lead allowed them to hold onto the gold medal.

“Today we didn't have the best skate, but we we're feeling great and were very happy with the result,” said the team's captain.

The team skated an entertaining program to a circus theme from the “Ice Age” soundtrack. They started their program with a strong circle sequence that included a no-hold section and a circle within a circle that transitioned into one circle. They also did a creative line where groups of skaters performed four successive front flip-overs that went well with the music. The program was fun, had great energy, and their high program component marks reflected their wonderful skating quality. They earned 36.06 for technical elements and 59.50 for program components, giving them a total of 95.58 for the free skate and 150.93 overall.

Team Mystique, also of Finland, pulled it together when it really counted.

"The short program wasn't great,” said the team captain, “but our free program was great. There was a good feeling, and we were very happy.”

Team Mystique's program to a jail theme included costumes that made each skater look like a jailbird. Their first element was a block with speed and difficult steps that set the tone for the rest of the program. Another highlight was a whip intersection where each skater did an outside spread eagle as she went through. The team had the highest technical element marks with 38.83, edging out their teammates with a free skate total of 96.56. The Musketeers' short program lead was too much to overcome, and Mystique settled for the silver.

Canada's Gold Ice also benefited from the new system, holding onto the bronze medal despite a fourth-place finish in the free skate. Skating a difficult program to “Van Helsing,” Gold Ice included a good triangle intersection with twizzles and a circle sequence which included a difficult section where the skaters traveled while in a hand-to-hand hold doing footwork.

“We had our best skate of the season,” said the team captain. “This was the first clean free skate for Gold Ice in two years, and it's a great feeling.”

Gold Ice had a total of 88.31, and it was enough to keep them ahead of teammates black ice, which finished third in the free skate.

It was also a good night for the American teams. After finishing in eighth place in the short program, Chicago Jazz was ready to move up.

“We wanted to show everyone what we are capable of and skate an awesome program,” said Jackie Paso.

They even sang their lucky song on the way to the rink — “When you want it the most there's no easy way out, when you're ready to skate and your heart's left in doubt, don't give up on your team, gold comes to those who believe it, and that's the way it is!”

Jazz did skate their best, opening with a line element with footwork that transitioned well between one and two lines. The skaters performed a high-energy movement in isolation at the end of the program which included split jumps, spread eagles and flying camels. The Jazz finished fifth in the free skate, a record for the team. However, the team's combined total was 115.26, which kept them in eighth place overall.

The Hockettes skated their lovely Beauty and the Beast program, but two falls – one in the opening movement in isolation and another in the no-hold step sequence — proved to be costly. The team earned 33.28 for technical elements and 45.28 for program components. The total of 77.56 included a mandatory deduction for the falls, and they finished seventh in the free skate and seventh overall

The Hockettes were still pleased with their overall season.

“It was amazing knowing we're here representing our country at a world competition, and we're so excited to be here,” said Ashley Meyer. “I'm so glad to have shared this together, with all of the girls on our team, we're all always so proud to be part of that group.”

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