The ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2013 continued in Milan, Italy, Friday with the Junior Ladies Short Program and Junior Free Dance.
Samantha Cesario (USA) captures Junior Ladies Short Program
Samantha Cesario (USA) captured the Junior Ladies Short Program, edging out Russia's Anna Pogorilaya Courtney Hicks (USA) by 0.71 points.
Performing to Carmen, Cesario produced a triple flip, double Axel and two level four spins, but she underrotated the triple loop-double toeloop combination. She achieved a new seasons best of 54.49 points. I'm really happy with how I skated today. It wasn't my complete best, but I wanted to come out and do a nice, clean program and I think that's what I did. I'm happy with how it went and it feels really good to be in first, Cesario told the post event press conference. My strategy (for the Free Skating) is just to go out and do what I do every day in practice and just skate confidently and clean, she added.
Pogorilaya opened her Oriental themed program to Songs from the Victorious City with a triple Lutz-triple toeloop combination followed by a triple flip and double Axel, but she wobbled in the footwork and the flying camel spin to score 53.98 points. It was an average performance today. My spin wasn't good and I stumbled in the footwork, the ISU Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist admitted. I am in a good mood and very positive. I hope to do everything in the free program and to show how well I have trained and how well I am prepared for this competition, she continued.
Hicks' routine to Khorobushko included a double Axel and three level-four spins, but she stepped out of the triple flip and the triple Lutz-triple toeloop combination was downgraded. The 17-year-old scored 53.98 points, exactly like Pogorilaya, but the higher technical score (31.36 for Pogorilaya/30.47 for Hicks) prevailed. I was very happy with my performance even though it wasn't quite as well as I could skate I went out and I did what I wanted to do. My strategy (for the Free Skating) is to go out and skate my best and keep it confident and strong, Hicks explained.
Reigning World Junior Champion Julia Lipnitskaia (RUS) is currently ranked fourth as she singled the toe in her combination with a triple Lutz (53.86 points). Elena Radionova (RUS) follows in fifth at 53.48 points and Satoko Miyahara (JPN) came sixth (52.16 points).
Due to power failure of the sound system, the competition was interrupted for about 30 minutes with the two last skaters to go.
Alexandra Stepanova/Ivan Bukin (RUS) dance off with Junior Ice Dance title
Alexandra Stepanova/Ivan Bukin of Russia danced off with the title in the Junior Ice Dance. France's Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron claimed the silver medal and the bronze went to Alexandra Aldridge/Daniel Eaton (USA).
Stepanova/Bukin delivered a passionate Flamenco Bolero, executing fast twizzles, intricate footwork and innovative lifts. The Muscovites earned a level four for the twizzles, the spin and two lifts. The 2012 World Junior silver medalists scored 85.52 points and totaled 150.17 points to win the title. It is a great feeling right now. We had a good performance and did everything we could do and we are very happy, Bukin said. We don't know yet if we move up to the senior level or not, but in order to be successful at the senior level I think we'll have to work four times as hard, he added.
Papadakis/Cizeron's dance to Money and Hey You by Pink Floyd was highlighted by level-three step sequences and two level-four lifts, but Papadakis had to overcome an ankle sprain suffered during the off-ice warm up for the morning practice. The couple had to stop 2.52 minutes into their performance because of her injury but was able to resume the competition after a medical break. The French Junior Champions earned 81.68 points and were ranked third in the Free Dance but overall finished second at 143.26 points. It is our first medal at Junior Worlds and it is the same ranking as at the Junior Grand Prix Final. The free dance obviously wasn't easy as this morning I injured my ankle in the warm up on the floor. I couldn't walk all day and I didn't know until the last moment if I can skate. The free dance was tough but I did it, Papadakis explained.
Performing to Fiddler on the Roof, Aldrige/Eaton produced four level-four elements to collect 82.44 points. Overall they accumulated 139.33 points to repeat as World Junior bronze medalists. We just honored to be able to compete at our second Junior World Championship and to compete against such great athletes throughout the entire field. It's been a wonderful season. We performed our program to the best of our ability today and I don't think I can ask for a better experience, Eaton commented.
Valeria Zenkova/Valerie Sinitsin (RUS) moved up from fifth to fourth at 132.17 points with their Cats program while Mackenzie Bent/Garrett Mackeen (CAN) slipped from fourth to fifth with a Tango routine (128.79 points).
The ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2013 continue Saturday with the Junior Men and Junior Ladies Free Skating. For more information and full results please see: www.isu.org and http://www.jwcmilano2013.com/ .