Reports: Novice Free Dance Group B

Reporting by Lynn Rutherford

Madison Chock & Greg Zuelein, who train in Canton under Shpilband, won Novice Group B with a smooth and fluid free dance marked by smooth entries and exits into difficult lifts, including a superb combination lift of a straight-line to a rotational. Their closing one-arm rotational lift featured a lovely layback position by Chock and an elegant set down by Zuelein.

“They have only been skating together a short time. She’s a lovely dancer, a very beautiful girl. Hopefully this (win) will help them get another assignment from U.S. Skating,” said Shpilband.

The couple earned 46.86 points (26.16 TES + 20.70 PCS).

Ilana Morse & Justin Morrow took second place (23.74 TES + 21.24 PCS = 43.98 points) with a spicy Latin American free dance (including a jazzy South American version of Gershwin’s “Summertime”) that showed good speed and intricate footwork, including a series of four front and back twizzles, as well as an impressive straight line to rotational combination lift.

The couple, who have been skating together for eight months, are trained by four-time Latvian ice dance champion Inese Bucevicasa in Monsey, New York.

“I think it went pretty well. There were definitely some parts in the footwork that could have been better; we fell apart a little. But the lifts were good and we’re very happy,” said Morse.

Third place went to Elyse Matsumoto & S. Andrew Skillington with43.94 points (26.20 TES + 18.74 PCS). Clad in unique green and lime costumes, the couple performed to a piano piece, “Eternal” by William Joseph. They opened with a lovely spin followed by a smooth and difficult combination lift and a strong circular footwork sequence.

While the two lacked unison in their later footwork sequence and fell out of sync on their twizzles, they skated with good expression throughout.

“They’ve only been skated together about six months. One of their strengths is performing in front of a crowd, so we’re all pretty pleased with the result,” said the couples’ coach, Diana Goolsbey.

Isabella Cannuscio & Ian Lorello, who train under Linichuk and Karponosov in Delaware, placed fourth with 43 points (26 TES + 17 PCS). Skating to music from the soundtrack of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” the couple had good positions on their lifts (including a solid opening combination lift) but lacked unison on several of their footwork passages. Their performance was especially impressive considering that Lorello, who suffered a stress fracture in his back, was skating in a brace up until two weeks ago.

Kaylan Patitucci & Zachary Donohue were fifth with 41.44 points (24.07 TES + 19.37 PCS) despite suffering two penalty points for miscues on lifts. Anastasia Olsen & Patrick Mays took sixth place (37.28 points) with good lifts, although they lost speed on their footwork sequences and Olsen fell. The couple also got tangled up in the rotational portion of their combination lift, but recovered with a good (single) rotational lift. Mays showed extreme flexibility in their spin by executing a near full-split spiral position.