The 2012 U.S. Figure Skating Championships kicked off today with the novice pattern dances. For the first time at nationals, a leveled version of the pattern dances was competed. Instead of just segments that receive a Grade of Execution, the dances are broken down into segments that have required elements that determine what level (1-4) is awarded to that segment. A GOE is then given, too.
This year the novice dancers opened with the leveled Argentine Tango. An added twist was that the skaters could choose their own music, as long as it matched the required number of beats. They did two full patterns -- split into three leveled segments each -- for a total of six required elements to receive GOEs from the judges.
1S1 (the first third of the first "lap" of the Argentine Tango) had the following values: Level 1=1.00, Level 2=1.50, Level 3=2.00, and Level 4=2.50. This would be indicated on the score sheets as 1S11, 1S12, etc.
1S2 (the second third of the first "lap" of the Argentine Tango) had the following values: Level 1=1.40, Level 2=2.10, Level 3=2.80, and Level 4=3.50. This would be indicated on the score sheets as 1S21, 1S22, etc.
1S3 (the third third of the first "lap" of the Argentine Tango) has the same values as the first. This would be indicated on the score sheets as 1S31, 1S32, etc.
For the second pattern, the levels are bumped up a bit in value.
And so on. You can view the full scale of values HERE. Achieving level 4s can boost a team's base score significantly.
Winners of the Argentine Tango, Whitney Miller & Kyle MacMillan (pictured), had the highest base score of the 12 teams in this dance, 13.80. They had only one level 1 and one level 2. The other four segments were called level 3s. The third segment on both patterns received net negative GOE, but they netted positive GOE on the others for a Technical Element Score of 14.82. Combined with the second-highest PCS of the competition (17.89), their total segment score of 22.90 put them in first place. (The total segment score is 70% of the TES+PCS-Deductions.)
With the highest PCS in the Argentine Tango (18.15), Holly Moore & Daniel Klaber placed a close second, just 0.25 behind. They, too, had negative GOE on both third sections. Their base value was 13.40, with the levels being split three 2s and three 3s. Slightly lower overall GOE gave them a TES of 14.20 and a total segment score of 22.65.
Hannah Rosinski & Jacob Jaffe placed third in the Argentine with a score of 21.37. They had one level 3 and the rest level 2s for a base value of 12.50. Their GOE bumped their TES up to 13.57 and their PCS was 16.96.
Only one team earned a level 4 in the Argentine Tango, Madison George & Brad Kleffman, who received it on the 1S1. They finished the dance in fifth (18.63) behind Sierra Chadwick & Alexander Martin who had 18.68.
The top three teams in the Argentine earned the same spots in the second pattern dance, the Starlight Waltz. Again, the dance was "leveled," although this time the teams could not choose their own music.
Whitney Miller & Kyle MacMillan earned four level 4s and two level 2s for the highest base value in the field, 16.60. Excellent execution of the entire dance added all positive net GOE for a TES of 19.84. They also received the highest PCS of the Starlight, 18.76, which brought their segment total to 24.86. Combined with their Argentine Tango scores, Miller & MacMillan go into the free dance in first place with 50.06.
Moore & Klaber's total of 47.51 puts them second heading into the free dance. Although they were just 0.20 lower in PCS, Moore & Klaber managed only one level 4 (plus two 3s and three 2s) that brought in their base value at 14.40. With the GOE added, their TES was 16.76.
With no level 4s, Rosinski & Jaffe's base value was 13.30. Their GOE brought their TES to 15.02. Their Program Components averaged almost 5.00, giving them an additional 17.91 to bring their Starlight Waltz total to 23.05. They enter the free dance in third with 44.42.
The second-highest base score in the Starlight Waltz was earned by Hannah Pfeifer & Grant Lorello, with 15.20. They finished this segment in fifth, but after a shaky Argentine, stand in 10th after both pattern dances.
Level 4s were also earned by Chloe Rose Lewis & Logan Bye (14.80 base value) and Stacey Siddon & Jared Weiss (14.70 BV). They placed fourth and sixth, respectively, in the Starlight Waltz. Lewis & Bye are fourth heading into the free dance (38.62) just ahead of Chadwick & Martin (38.19). Siddon & Weiss are sixth overall with 36.64.
The novice competition concludes tomorrow with the free dance. It begins at 10:30 a.m. San Jose time.
The 2012 U.S. Figure Skating Championships kicked off today with the novice pattern dances. For the first time at nationals, a leveled version of the pattern dances was competed. Instead of just segments that receive a Grade of Execution, the dances are broken down into segments that have required elements that determine what level (1-4) is awarded to that segment. A GOE is then given, too.