Belbin, Agosto build energy for Spokane, Vancouver

After years of gliding into the U.S. Championships as regal favorites, suddenly, Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto look like underdogs.

The five-time U.S. ice dance champions aren't defending champions, having missed last season due to injury. They withdrew from the Grand Prix Final after Belbin underwent emergency oral surgery. Now, they're hard at work tweaking their programs, injecting extra excitement wherever they can.

And they wouldn't expect it to be any other way.

"This sport has evolved so much, it's a constant battle," Agosto, 27, said. "There's never been a moment in our career where we haven't tried to make ourselves better, make our programs more difficult. It's just a normal part of the sport."

"Everyone else is pushing the envelope, and if we don't, we won't keep up," Belbin, 25, added.

Despite winning both of their fall Grand Prix events, including their fifth career Skate America title, the reigning Olympic silver medalists earned scores a bit lower than they would have liked.

Two of their top rivals -- U.S. champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White, who won the Grand Prix Final with personal-best programs, and two-time Canadian world medalists Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir -- eclipsed their point totals, although neither team competed against Belbin and Agosto head-to-head.

"Our Grand Prix [events] gave us a great opportunity to see how our programs were accepted by the audience and judges," Agosto said.

"We think we found out where we need to make some changes. Initially, our goal was to work on those changes after the Grand Prix Final. Of course it was disappointing not to be able to go, but we've been accomplishing a lot, getting our programs to what we want to represent at nationals and the Olympics."

Most of the changes have come to their free dance, but they've also taken a second look at their Moldavian folk routine.

"In the OD, we've focused on higher intensity, keeping the moves sharp and clean, making it more frenetic," Belbin said. "It all comes down to repetition and training."

The couple felt their performances of their elegant and understated free, choreographed by coach Natalia Linichuk to "Ave Maria" and Rossini's "Amen," could use an extra doses of energy and passion.

Full article.

Abbott armed with Olympic dreams and quad, Czisny focuses on lessons learned

When he arrives in Spokane next week, defending his national title won't be uppermost on Jeremy Abbott's mind.

"I really would like to, but my goal is to go to the Olympics and peak at the right time," the skater told reporters on a USOC teleconference yesterday.

"I do feel like the under dog. Evan [Lysacek] won [2009] worlds and the Grand Prix Final, but I don't feel like I've got a lot of chasing to do. I feel I'm on par with Evan and Johnny [Weir] and all the other skaters in the U.S. I can recapture the title, but the [main] goal is not to recapture the title, the goal is the Vancouver Olympics."

Not that Abbott plans to concede anything. He said he will include a quadruple toe loop in his free skate, something other top contenders may not attempt.

"My goal [with the quad] this season was to put it in all my competitions so I was very secure in it for nationals, Olympics and Worlds," he explained. "It may not be necessary [in Spokane]; the last two world champions haven't done it [to win worlds], but I feel very strongly I will need it this season.

"It's a solid jump for me. With everything else in my programs I feel it helps put me in the top echelon of skaters. I feel good and I plan to do it at nationals."

The personable Abbott is about as far from a braggart as an elite athlete can get. Still, he exudes quiet confidence heading in to his fourth senior U.S. Championship, comfortable that he can make the U.S. team and test the world's best in Vancouver, including defending Olympic champion Evgeny Plushenko.

"Not only is my artistry up there, I feel the technical aspect of my skating has improved greatly," he said. "In my mind [Plushenko] is another skater I have to contend with. He's not on a pedestal. I just have to go out and do what I can do and hope the judges like what I can offer.

"[The Olympics] have been my dream since I was four or five years old. I'm not going to let this opportunity get away from me."

Abbott's most recent competitive attempts at the four-revolution jump have been a mixed bag. A clean quad helped him win gold at 2009 Skate Canada, but he missed the element at Japan's NHK Trophy and at the Grand Prix Final.

"There is kind of a risk/reward with any jump; unfortunately, with the quad, [the risk] is a bit more because it's factored," he said. "I did it at Skate Canada and it felt great, and I was rewarded for it.

"When [judges] see someone put out a quad, it tends to push up your other scores, because not everyone tries it. Unfortunately if it's downgraded you get zero, and that's tough. But as I say, I feel very confident with it."


Full article.

Laws ran, not walked, away from coaching Chan

Just three days before the 2010 BMO Canadian Figure Skating Championships begin in London, Ontario, and just about a month before the 2010 Olympic Winter Games begin in Vancouver, Don Laws said he will not be coaching world silver medalist Patrick Chan.

According to Laws, who was reached by telephone at his rink, Palm Beach Ice Works, in West Palm Beach, Fla., he contacted Skate Canada yesterday to inform the skating organization that he was no longer working with the Canadian star skater. Chan has been training in Colorado Springs, Colo., recently.

"I will say that he did not run from me,'' Laws said. "I ran from him.''

"I just sent a letter to Skate Canada that I have withdrawn as his coach,'' Laws added. "I can't imagine you want to have a coach who lives 2,000 miles away from you.''

The move is striking because of its timing and because Chan has become one of Canada's biggest stars leading up to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. His likeness has been seen throughout Canadian chains of McDonald's and fans there are hoping he could become the first Canadian male skater to claim an Olympic gold medal. Several others have tried but fallen short, including Elvis Stojko, Kurt Browning and Brian Orser.

Chan decided to train in Colorado Springs shortly after competing in HomeSense Skate Canada, where he placed sixth. According to Laws, Chan originally went to Colorado to work with Dartfish video training techniques. Laws did travel to Colorado Springs but said he was there more as "a spectator'' than as a coach.

Chan returned to Florida to perform in a rink holiday show in December and told Laws he wanted to return to Colorado for altitude training. "That was interesting because most of Vancouver is at sea level,'' Laws said.

Laws said he asked Skate Canada to credential choreographer Lori Nichol, who once was coached by Laws, as Chan's coach. According to officials at Skate Canada, Nichol will be credentialed as will American coach Christy Krall, who is based in Colorado Springs. Nichol was with Chan at Skate Canada earlier this season.


Full article.

Cohen says she's a go for U.S. Championships

It looks like the third time might be the charm for Sasha Cohen.

Earlier this week, the Olympic silver medalist told several media outlets she intends to compete at the 2010 AT&TU.S. Figure Skating Championships, which for ladies begins in Spokane on January 21. Yesterday, representatives for Cohen confirmed her plans remain unchanged.

"Of course, I'm nervous about coming back because I'm finally putting myself out there for everyone to see," Cohen told Juliet Macur of The New York Times. "But if I skate the way I do in practice, I am confident that I will make the team."

Last fall, Cohen withdrew from Trophee Eric Bompard and Skate America, citing tendinitis in her right calf. Since then, many in the skating world have adopted a wait-and-see attitude towards her return to competition.

"Well, I'm skeptical. I don't know about anyone else," Ashley Wagner, the country's top-performing lady on the Grand Prix circuit this fall, said on a teleconference earlier this week.

"I just think it's very, very hard to have your first competition be nationals, but you know, I'm not counting her out, she's still part of the equation. If she's there, she's there, if she's not, she's not. But I'm definitely not counting her out."

In an interview with icenetwork the week after Skate America, the 25-year-old Cohen said despite the withdrawals, her training was going well, and she had regained all of her triple jumps.

"My body feels good; now I can do everything in practice," she said. "I can do all the jumps. I'm capable of doing a six or seven-triple program at nationals if I skate well.

"I really love competing, so withdrawing from Skate America was frustrating, but that's life. I had a hard summer training and I have the rest of November, December and part of January to put it all together."

Cohen added that she had hoped to have a triple-triple combination in her arsenal at Spokane but was hampered all summer and fall by boot problems.

Full article.

Delobel, Schoenfelder unlikely to skate at Europeans

Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder, the 2008 ice dancing world champions, had programmed their return to the competitive ice for the upcoming European Championships.

In the interview with icenetwork.com Thursday, they indicated that they may not compete there and save their new programs for the Olympics.

"Our objective for this season has always been the Olympics," Delobel explained. "We are ready to follow all the steps our Federation sets for us. If they consider that we have more chance to achieve our goal by skating at the European Championships, we will. If they feel otherwise, then we won't."

"We may not be ready to compete today, although we are working hard for this, yet we may be ready to compete next week," Schoenfelder added.

"Taking part in the European Championships is not a mandatory pass." Muriel Zazoui-Boucher, who coaches the duo in Lyon, concluded.

It has now been one year since Delobel and Schoenfelder withdrew from competitive skating. Delobel injured her right shoulder during the exhibitions at the Grand Prix Final (which the duo had won in December 2008). The rehabilitation process took longer than expected, and forced Delobel and Schoenfelder to withdraw from Europeans and worlds in 2009. Delobel announced her pregnancy later that spring. She gave birth to a baby boy, Loïs, early October, before resuming training later that month.

The duo skated in two galas during the holiday season. Thursday they came to Paris for a skating test in front of some representatives of the French Federation, where they skated their original dance to a enthusing French Can Can. Although far from perfect, it showed that the duo was undoubtedly back on track for what will be their 20th season skating together.

After they finished their skate, they took the time to describe their current shape and the status of their programs.

About getting back on shape

Isabelle: We train each session at 200%, as if we were to compete the next day. Each day there is a new step forward. My shoulder is well monitored by my medical staff, which is very present around me. I just do not think of it and go ahead. The most difficult part for me after Loïs' birth was probably my adductor muscles. I did not think they would suffer that much. The main difficulty was then to rehabilitate my whole body and coordinate everything to work together.

Olivier: Coming back after such an injury, then after giving birth to a baby, was quite a challenge and we both knew it would be difficult. Well, it was very difficult! But I feel that our physical problems are now completely behind us. We do see improvements literally day after day.

Isabelle: As for my weight, it is no problem for me. Although I can assure you that I did not eat much during the holiday season (she laughs)! My nutritionist and therapist are overseeing it carefully. We are training a lot and work very hard day after day. We arrive at 7 am at the rink and skate 2 to 3 sessions every day, that is 5 to 6 hours, at the very least 4 days a week. After that, we get physical preparation, where we go together. Then I have some medical work until 7:30 p.m., to work on getting back on shape. Every day is better, and again it is so visible for us and for everyone.


Full article.

The hits keep coming for Davis, White

Since losing out on a medal by a sliver (.04) at the 2009 World Figure Skating Championships in Los Angeles last March, things have come up golden for Meryl Davis and Charlie White.

"Even though that loss was really tough to take, it did put us in a very good position this year," White said.

The young ice dancers have won four events so far this season, setting new personal bests along the way. The first U.S. team to win the Grand Prix Final, they defeated long-time rivals and training partners two-time Canadian world medalists Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir for the second time in their senior career. Video of their Indian folk dance has gained more than 220,000 YouTube views around the globe.

Suddenly, the hottest rivalry at the 2010 AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships may not be Evan vs. Johnny, but Davis and White vs. Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, the five-time U.S. champions the younger duo has yet to defeat in head-to-head competition.

"Meryl and Charlie are in a very good position," Igor Shpilband, who coaches Davis and White with Marina Zoueva in Canton, Mich., said. "They have always been very strong technically; now, look at what the panel at NHK [Trophy] did, giving them in the 9's for Program Components, the highest yet."

Davis and White matched those scores at the Grand Prix Final in December, where Belbin and Agosto did not compete due to Belbin's emergency dental surgery. (The reigning world silver medalists also withdrew from the 2009 U.S. Championships, due to Agosto's back injury.) Heading into Spokane, it's clear who has the momentum.

"Charlie and I have always seen ourselves as underdogs, and I don't think that's necessarily the case this year," Davis told reporters on a teleconference earlier this week. "We're really confident, we've had a great season so far, we're really excited to go out there and compete."

"The key, whether you're the underdog or everyone expects you to win, is just to be prepared," White added. "If we can go out there and skate our best and basically let our skating do the talking, that's always been the key for us, not worrying about placement so much."

Davis, 23, and White, 22, give Belbin and Agosto their due; Davis said, "Tanith and Ben have done a lot for the sport, and they definitely kind of paved the way for success for American ice dancers." But the team's days of taking a backseat to their former training partners, who were also coached by Shpilband and Zoueva until the spring of 2008, may be over.

Full article.

Flatt ready to take center stage

After two consecutive silver medals, Rachael Flatt is taking aim at the top of the 2010 AT&T U.S. Figure Skating Championships podium in two weeks time in Spokane.

The 17-year-old is hard at work in Toronto, putting finishing touches to her programs with longtime choreographer Lori Nichol. She's training a triple flip-triple toe loop combination in both of her competitive programs. There are even thoughts of adding a second triple-triple combo, if the timing is right.

"Lori is excellent at freshening programs up," Flatt said. "There are no big changes [in choreography]; we're making sure all the details are nice and crisp, and all of the transitions work. I think the programs are coming along really well.

"Technically, I've been working on pretty much everything, especially making my jumps bigger, and getting better flow and better spin positions."

With a fourth-place finish at Cup of China and silver medal at Skate America -- including a win over world champion Yu-Na Kim in the free skate -- Flatt said she's comfortable with both her short to Louis Prima's "Sing, Sing, Sing" and free to Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini."

"We actually changed the last spin in the long, to make it the same as one of my combination spins in the short, but with a flying entry," Flatt said.

"It's not a reverse-direction [spin] anymore, so I'm not in danger of losing a lot of points for a technical error [re-centering too far apart] like I did at Skate America. That's the only big change so far."

The wholesome Flatt is becoming something of a poster girl for U.S. Figure Skating, winning sponsorships from AT&T and M.A.C. Cosmetics and lending her talents to charities including Reading is Fundamental and USOC's Team for Tomorrow Fund.

"The weekend before Christmas, I flew to L.A. to do an AT& T commercial," Flatt said. "It was nice to get back to humidity for a couple of days."

The native Californian filmed some lines off camera and also performed a skating routine.

"The hardest part was looking into the camera, making sure my face didn't move away too much, except when I was spinning," she said.

Full article.