US Eastern Sectional Championships

Sectional Championships get underway this week and the top four in each discipline from each sectional will qualify to the 2011 US National Championships in North Carolina.  Several skaters have byes due to their placements last season at nationals or international competition and I'll list them in a separate post. 

For seniors, I have listed all of the competitors in each discipline.  Where information is available about the skater/team, I have included it.  I'll work to fill in the gaps throughout the week and if you have information on any of these skaters feel free to leave a comment.  For juniors, I have listed names of skaters/teams that stuck out either due to their placements at nationals last season or international experience this season.

Senior Pairs (all qualify to nationals):
Chloe Katz/Joseph Lynch: They won silver at this sectional last year and placed 6th at nationals, their best finish.  They have made 4 trips to nationals at the senior level.  They are the 2005 Junior Bronze medalists.

Erika Smith/Nathan Bartholomay: They won gold at Sectionals as juniors last year and they are the reigning Junior Bronze medalists. 

Gretchen Donlan/Andrew Speroff: They won silver at the midwestern sectionals last year and placed 8th as juniors at nationals.  They attended the Nebelhorn Trophy earlier this season and placed 4th.  This is their second season together.

Alexa Scimeca/Ivan Dmitrov

Senior Men:
Brad Vigorito:

Scott Dyer: Dyer qualified with a 2nd place finish at South Atlantic Regionals with a score of 168.24.  He won silver at sectionals and the pewter medal at nationals last season as a Junior.  He is the 2006 and 2007 National Novice pewter medalist. 

Wesley Campbell: He won silver at midwestern sectionals last season and placed 20th at nationals.  His best finish at nationals was in 2008 when he placed 7th.  He is the 2004 National Junior Bronze Medalist.  He is the 2002 National Novice Pewter Medalist.  He has one Junior Grand Prix medal, a silver, from 2002.

Christopher Wan: Wan qualified with a 3rd place finish at North Atlantic Regionals with a score of 119.49.

Jason Wong: He won silver at sectionals last season and placed 10th at nationals, his best finish.  Earlier this season he placed 8th at the Nebelhorn Trophy.  He is the 2008 and 2009 US Collegiate Champion.  He is the 2004 National Junior Silver Medalist.  He is the 2002 National Novice Silver Medalist.     

Michael Quadrino: Quadrino qualified with a 2nd place finish at North Atlantic Regionals with a score of 128.35.

Michael Chau: Chau qualified with a 3rd place finish at South Atlantic Regionals with a score of 131.96.  He is the 2009 National Junior Champion, 2008 National Junior Silver Medalist, 2007 National Novice Champion, and 2006 National Novice Bronze Medalist in Pairs with Tracy Tanovich.

Lloyd Ting: Ting qualified with a 1st place finish at North Atlantic Regionals with a score of 144.93.

Senior Ladies:
Taryn Brandt: Brandt qualified with a 4th place finish at New England Regionals with a score of 93.66.

Jamie Kim: Kim qualifed with a 4th place finish at South Atlantic Regionals with a score of 114.09.

Keilani-Lyn Rudderham: Rudderham qualified with a first place finish at New England Regionals with a score of 101.12.

Courtney Bibbs: Bibbs qualified with a 5th place finish at South Atlantic Regionals (2nd place finisher Musademba received a bye through Sectionals due to Cup of China) with a score of 99.65.

Olivia Gibbons: Gibbons qualified with a 3rd place finish at New England Regionals with a score of 95.87.  She is the 2009 National Junior Novice Bronze Medalist in Pairs with Tyler Harris. 

Krista Bussi: Bussi qualified with a 4th place finish at North Atlantic Regionals with a score of 97.56.

Kelsey Traunero: Traunero qualified with a 3rd place finish at South Atlantic Regionals with a score of 111.93.

Joelle Forte:  Forte qualified with a 2nd place finish at North Atlantic Regionals with a score of 128.00.  She won this sectional on route to a 12th place finish at nationals in 2009.  She did not compete for the United States last season.

Melissa Bulanhagui: Bulanhagui qualified with a 1st place finish at South Atlantic Regionals with a score of 130.21.  She placed 2nd at sectionals last season before placing 12th at Nationals.  She competed at Nebelhorn Trophy earlier this season and won bronze.  She is the 2006 National Junior Bronze Medalist.  She won a gold medal on the Junior Grand Prix in 2008 and a silver in 2006. 

Kendall Wyckoff: Wyckoff qualified with a 2nd place finish at New England Regionals with a score of 96.85.  She won silver on the junior level at sectionals last season before placing 11th at nationals. 

Raina Narita: Narita qualified with a 3rd place finish at the North Atlantic Regionals with a score of 104.42.

Samantha Cesario: Cesario qualified for sectionals with a 1st place finish at the North Atlantic Regionals with a score of 135.68.  She won bronze at sectionals last season and placed 14th at nationals. 

Senior Dance (all qualify to nationals):
Ginna Hoptman/Pavel Filchenkov
Katharine Zeigler/Baxter Burbank
Katherine Pilgrim/Alexander Lorello
Meredith Zuber/Kyle Herring

Junior Pairs of note:
Kylie Duarte/Colin Grafton: They won gold at sectionals last season as novices and won the pewter medal at nationals.  They finished 5th and 7th at their two Junior Grand Prix assignments this season.  They are the 2008 Intermediate National Champions and 2007 Juvenile National Silver Medalists.

Haven Denney/Daniel Raad: This team split up earlier this year but are back together.  They won silver at sectionals as juniors last season and placed 7th at nationals.  They are the 2009 Novice National Silver Medalists.

Junior Men of note:
Emmanuel Savary: Savary qualified with a 3rd place finish at South Atlantic Regionals with a score of 157.41.  He won silver at sectionals as a novice last season and is the reigning Novice National Silver Medalist.  He is the 2009 Intermediate National Champion. 

Timothy Dolensky: Dolensky qualified with a 4th place finish at South Atlantic Regionals with a score of 144.43.  He won sectionals last season as a novice before winning bronze at nationals.  He finished 4th at his Junior Grand Prix assignment earlier this season. 

Junior Dance of note:
Danvi Pham/Vu Pham: They won sectionals last season as novices before winning silver at nationals.  They are the 2009 Intermediate National Silver Medalists and the 2008 Juvenile National Silver Medalists. 

Anastasia Cannuscio/Colin McManus: They won sectionals last season before placing 7th at nationals.  They placed 2nd and 4th at their two Junior Grand Prix assignments earlier this season.

Laura Bonacorsi/Travis Mager: They placed 2nd at sections last season before placing 6th at nationals.  They finished 3rd and 5th at their two Junior Grand Prix assignments earlier this season.  They are the 2009 Novice National Champions.