Pacific Coast Adult Sectionals: Part II

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practicing my sit-back scratch spin

Gary explaining the sit-back scratch spin to me

On competition morning coach Gary worked with me during my 8:30 a.m. practice ice. My jumps were all going well but my sit-back scratch spin combination was still a little iffy so we worked on it.

Near my 11:30 a.m. warmup ice time he kept me company and helped me stretch. I had a really good five minute warmup. My jumps were strong and Gary had me skate them in front of the judges so they saw that I could do them, and he had me skate without my jacket so they could see my dress.

The one thing that was still questionable was the sit-back scratch spin, and Gary asked me to think of what helped me on that. I thought of a tip from Ty and tried again, got a pretty good spin in before the warmup ended. I had drawn the second skate after the warmup which to me is ideal. I was able to warm up strongly, rest for a couple of minutes and then go on still warm.

I wasn’t too nervous. I moved in time with the music, looked happy, and had no missteps on the footwork or grace elements. My sit-back scratch spin was OK. The sit wasn’t that centered or low but the back spin was centered and had a decent number of rotations even if they were a bit slow.

skating my program at Sectionals

Most of my jumps weren’t my best though they could have been worse. The second loop in my loop-loop combination was tiny and I double-footed my lutz slightly and my first flip heavily. I was miffed since those jumps had gone well in my practice and warmup. Fortunately I skated my final jump, a flip/toe/toe combination, about as strongly as I could.

I came in fourth out of my group of nine, and it took me a while to appreciate that result. But I did enjoy getting my photo taken with the top finishers, the first time I’ve been part of that little ritual (there is a medal for fourth). The winner was excited and happy and thinking about going to Nationals: that was fun to see.

I’m glad that I got to take this program to Sectionals. Coach Lisa choreographed it beautifully, I love my music, and the dress that Kim made for me is top-notch. As I thought about it I felt better about my skate.

Once I finished skating I got to just relax! Spectating at Sectionals may be my favorite part, sitting with the other skaters in the bleachers chatting about training and goals and the performances we were seeing, throwing a few ‘tossies’ onto the ice for skaters we know. There was a very high net around the ice so it was a challenge to toss the items over. Mine got through, though a few other folks’ tossie animals were stuck way up in the net– I wonder how long they will be there?

I met a reader of Fit and Fed– it was great to meet, chat, and cheer on her skate. Other skaters that I wanted to support included two ladies who I skate with, Diane Rudnick of Waltz Jump, and another student of coach Gary, a very talented masters intermediate/novice skater who was skating his first competition as an adult. I loved his music from Carmen and all his double jumps. I was inspired by the high level of skating some of the masters skaters have achieved, including a double axel from one of the ladies.

Next year’s Sectionals will be in Las Vegas and I plan to be there with upgraded spins and jumps. I’m already looking forward to meeting up again with our little community of competitive adult skaters.

Nationals next year will be in Salt Lake City, much closer to me than this year’s venue of Boston. Maybe 2015 will be the year I go to adult Nationals for the first time, I hope so!