Tuesday, January 18, 2011

U.S. Nationals: Junior Ladies Preview

Courtney Hicks finished 9 points ahead of the rest of the field at sectionals and Lauren Dinh finished 10 points ahead of the rest of the pack.  These two ladies should be able to make the podium if they skate like they did at sectionals.  Katarina Kulgeyko and Ashley Cain both won medals as novices last season and are competing for the first time as juniors.  Ashley Cain and Mary Beth Marley are juggling double duty as they compete in singles and pairs but their double training throughout the season could pay off here.  Both of them are in medal contention in their pair events so they have nothing to lose here in singles and may be able to turn in a better performance without the added pressure.  Nina Jiang is the only one in the field with international singles experience and is looking to move up after her 5th place finish at nationals last season.  With so many of the skaters that competed on the Junior Grand Prix competing at the senior level, there will likely be few spots for the junior skaters on the Junior Worlds team.  These ladies will have to really impress if they want to earn one of those spots.

Courtney Hicks: She qualified with a 1st place finish at Pacific Coast sectionals.  She finished 5th at nationals last season at the novice level.

Lauren Dinh: Dinh qualified with a 1st place finish at Midwestern sectionals.

McKinzie Daniels: She qualified with a 2nd place finish at Midwestern sectionals.  She finished 9th at nationals last year as a junior.

Katarina Kulgeyko: She qualified with a 2nd place finish at Pacific Coast sectionals.  She is the reigning national bronze medalist at the novice level.

Nina Jiang: She finished 5th at JGP Courchevel. Jiang qualified with a 3rd place finish at Midwestern sectionals.  She finished 5th at nationals last season at the junior level.

Polina Edmunds: She qualified with a 3rd place finish at Pacific Coast sectionals.  She finished 6th at nationals last year as a novice.

Allison Timlen: She qualified with a 1st place finish at Eastern sectionals.  She finished 11th at nationals last season as a novice.

Haley Dunne: She qualified with a 2nd place finish at Eastern sectionals.  She finished 13th at nationals last season at the junior level.

Ashley Cain: Cain qualified with a 4th place finish at Midwestern sectionals.  She is the reigning national silver medalist at the novice level.

Mary Beth Marley: Marley qualified with a 4th place finish at Pacific Coast sectionals.  She is the 2009 national silver medalist at the novice level.

Elise Eng: She qualified with a 3rd place finish at Eastern sectionals.

Nicole Rajic: She qualified with a 4th place finish at Midwestern sectionals.  She finished 12th at nationals last year at the novice level.

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