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UD figure skaters go for gold on Thursday 3:09 p.m., Jan. 11, 2006--The top-flight competitors who train at the University of Delaware’s Ice Skating Science Development Center will battle for trips to the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, when they take to the ice Thursday in the 2006 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships at the Savvis Center in St. Louis. The popular senior ladies and men’s singles competitions will begin Thursday, with skaters performing their short programs. UD has an exceptionally strong contingent in the ladies field, including reigning U.S. bronze medalist Kimmie Meissner, who was featured on the front page of the Jan. 11 issue of USA Today, Christine Zukowski, Megan Oster and Megan Williams-Stewart. Shaun Rogers will represent UD in the senior men’s event. Some preliminary senior championship events began Wednesday, and the UD ice dance team of Kimberly Navarro and Brent Bommentre was in fifth place following a compulsory dance and an original dance. The final placements will be determined after the free dance. In the pair competition, which will begin Wednesday night, UD will be represented by Tiffany Scott and Rusty Fein. Scott was a member of the U.S. Olympic team at Salt Lake City, when her partner was Philip Dulebohn. ESPN2 will broadcast the ladies and men’s short programs from 7:30-11 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 12, and pair and ice dance from 10:30 p.m.-1 a.m., Friday, Jan. 13. ABC Sports will provide live coverage of the men’s free skating from 4-6 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 14, and of the ladies free skating from 8-11 p.m. that night. Already, UD skaters are making a strong showing at nationals. In the junior men’s competition, UD skaters finished second and third, with Jordan Miller winning the silver medal and Geoff Varner the bronze. Also from UD, Craig Ratterree finished fifth, Traighe Rouse finished 10th and Adam Rippon finished 11th. Currently, two junior pair teams are in contention as they prepare for the free skate portion of the competition, with Kaela Pflumm and Chris Pottenger in fourth place and Bridget Namiotka and John Coughlin in fifth following their short programs. The junior ladies short program will be held Wednesday, with UD represented by Melissa Bulanhagui. In novice pair competition, Meg Byrne and Nate Bartholomay finished in fourth place, and Rachel DeRita and Peter Briccotto finished ninth. In novice dance competition, Isabella Cannuscio and Zachary Varraux finished in eighth place, Alexis Hauser and Kyle Herring finished in ninth and Genevieve Deutch and Alex Lorello finished in 11th. Hilary Ho finished 10th in novice ladies singles, and Zachary DeWulf finished 11th in novice men’s singles. For more information on the competition schedule and results, see the U.S. Figure Skating web site at [www.usfigureskating.org]. |
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