Junior Worlds Ladies Preview

The junior ladies field is so deep that only three of the JGP Finalists will be competing at this event.  Julia Lipnitskaia and Satoko Miyahara both finished in the top five last year and are returning.

Not qualifying for this event are Hannah Miller, who won the silver medal at the JGPF and has the 2nd best score of the season; Angela Wang, who qualified for the JGPF and has the 4th best total score of the season; Leah Keiser, who qualified for the JGPF and has the 7th best total score of the season 

Julia Lipnitskaia is competing here to defend her title but has had a rough time with injuries this season, withdrawing from the Grand Prix Final and Russian Nationals.  She has the triple + triples plus the senior experience to give her a second title if she can perform at her full capabilities.  She is well known for her flexibility which is showcased in her footwork and spins.  

Elena Radionova has been unbeatable this season, winning gold at both of her JGP assignments and at the Final.  She also has triple + triple combinations and beat Lipnitskaia at Russian Junior Nationals.  

Anna Pogorilaya won a gold and silver medal on the JGP circuit to qualify for the JGP Final where she won the bronze.  Her scores have steadily improved throughout the season and she has the triple + triple combinations to keep her in contention.

Samantha Cesario has also had her share of injuries over the years but was able to put out a stunning performance of her Carmen short and Black Swan free skate at US Nationals.  She has been remarkably consistent despite the injuries, winning three JGP bronze medals in three attempts over the last two seasons.  She is aging out of juniors after this season and will need a good result to earn senior assignments next season.

Satoko Miyahara finished 4th at Junior Worlds last season and is looking to make the jump to the podium.  She started off her season with a gold medal finish at JGP USA but dropped to bronze at JGP Turkey with an 18 point decrease in her score.  She doesn't get a lot of height on her jumps which increases the change of under-rotation and downgrade calls.

Courtney Hicks last competed at Junior Worlds in 2011 but missed most of the 2012 season due to injury.  She recently finished 4th at US Nationals with her triple+triple combinations and innovative spins.

Also in the mix are Rika Hongo and Hae Jin Kim who each won a medal on the JGP but finished off the podium in their second events.  

My podium predictions:
Gold: Elena Radionova
Silver: Julia Lipnitskaia
Bronze: Anna Pogorilaya

Bios of the competitiors:
Brooklee Han, AUS: She placed 30th at Junior Worlds last season.  She finished 12th at Four Continents.  She finished 8th at JGP USA and 12th at JGP Turkey.  Her personal best is 143.90.  She is 17 years old.

Sabrina Schultz, AUT: She placed 24th at Junior Worlds last season.  She finished 16th at JGP Slovenia and 20th at JGP Germany.  Her personal best is 108.90.  She is 18 years old.

Kristina Zakharanka, BLR: She placed 29th at Junior Worlds last season.  She placed 36th at Europeans.  She finished 26th at JGP Turkey and 20th at JGP Croatia.  Her personal best is 92.03  She is 15 years old.

Isadora Williams, BRA: She placed 16th at Junior Worlds last season.  Her personal best is 123.93.  She is 17 years old.

Anna Afonkina, BUL: She finished 25th at Europeans.  She placed 25th at JGP Turkey.  Her personal best is 87.47.  She is 16 years old. 

Alaine Chartrand, CAN: She placed 7th at JGP USA and 6th at JGP Croatia.  Her personal best is 137.72.  She is 16 years old.

Gabrielle Daleman, CAN: She finished 6th at JGP Austria and 5th at JGP Germany.  Her personal best is 139.77.  She is 15 years old.

Xiaowen Guo, CHN: She finished 8th at JGP Slovenia.  Her personal best is 130.01.  She is 15 years old.

Ziquan Zhao, CHN: She placed 11th at Junior Worlds last season.  She finished 10th at JGP France and 4th at JGP Austria.  Her personal best is 146.22.  She is 15 years old.  She has the 10th best short program score.

Elizaveta Ukolova, CZE: She placed 22nd at Junior Worlds last season.  She finished 8th at JGP Turkey and 11th at JGP Germany.  Her personal best is 118.47.  She is 14 years old.

Pernille Sorensen, DEN: She placed 16th at JGP USA and 12th at JGP Croatia.  Her personal best is 106.26.  She is 15 years old.

Gerli Liinamae, EST: She placed 14th at Junior Worlds last season.  She finished 6th at JGP Turkey and 8th at JGP Germany.  Her personal best is 140.30.  She is 17 years old.

Jenni Saarinen, FIN: She is 13 years old.

Laurine Lecavelier, FRA: She finished 12th at JGP France and 9th at JGP Slovenia.  Her personal best is 124.93.  She is 16 years old.  

Nathalie Weinzierl, GER: She placed 9th at Europeans.  She finished 9th at JGP Austria and 10th at JGP Germany.  Her personal best is 147.52.  She is 18 years old.

Amani Fancy, GBR: She placed 17th at JGP Germany.  Her personal best is 104.48.  She is 15 years old.

Isabella Schuster-Vellissarou, GRE: She placed 25th in the preliminary round at Junior Worlds last season.  She finished 33rd at Europeans.  She finished 24th at JGP Germany.  Her personal best is 82.04.  She is 17 years old. 

Ivett Toth, HUN: She finished 14th at JGP Slovenia.  Her personal best is 110.28.  She is 14 years old.

Netta Schreiber, ISR: She finished 14th at JGP USA and 23rd at JGP Turkey.  Her personal best is 101.33.  She is 14 years old.

Sara Casella, ITA: She is 14 years old.

Rika Hongo, JPN: She won silver at JGP France and placed 5th at JGP Croatia.  Her personal best is 149.38.  She is 16 years old.  She has the 10th best free skate and 10th best total scores.

Satoko Miyahara, JPN: She placed 4th at Junior Worlds last season.  She won gold at JGP USA and bronze at JGP Turkey to qualify for the JGP Final where she finished 5th.  Her personal best is 162.20.  She is 14 years old.  She has the 7th best short program, 5th best free skate and 5th best total scores.

Angelina Kuchvalska, LAT: She finished 16th at JGP France.  Her personal best is 103.91.  She is 14 years old.

Aleksandra Golovkina, LTU: She placed 18th at JGP France and 17th at JGP Slovenia.  Her personal best is 107.19.  She is 14 years old.

Reyna Hamui, MEX: She finished 13th at Four Continents.  Her personal best is 123.69.  She is 19 years old.

Kim Bell, NED: She placed 24th in the preliminary round at Junior Worlds last season.  She finished 25th at JGP France.  Her personal best is 84.11.  She is 18 years old.

Camilla Gjersem, NOR: She placed 15th at JGP France and 22nd at JGP Austria.  Her personal best is 105.32.  She is 19 years old.

Alisson Krystle Perticheto, PHI: She placed 13th at JGP Slovenia.  Her personal best is 114.88.    She is 15 years old.

Agata Kryger, POL: Her personal best is 91.76.  She is 15 years old.

Hae Jin Kim, KOR: She placed 8th at Junior Worlds last season.  She finished 5th at JGP Austria and won gold at JGP Slovenia.  Her personal best is 149.71.  She is 15 years old.  She has the 8th best short program score.

So Youn Park, KOR: She placed 6th at JGP USA and won silver at JGP Turkey.  Her personal best is 144.77.  She is 15 years old.

Julia Lipnitskaia, RUS: She is the reigning Junior World Champion.  She won silver at Cup of China and bronze at Trophee Eric Bompard to qualify for the Grand Prix Final but withdrew due to injury.  Her personal best is 187.05.  She is 14 years old.

Anna Pogorilaya, RUS: She won silver at JGP Croatia and gold at JGP Germany to qualify for the JGPF where she won bronze.  Her personal best is 167.40.  She is 14 years old.  She has the 4th best short program, 3rd best free skate and 3rd best total scores.

Elena Radionova, RUS: She won gold at JGP France and gold at JGP Austria to qualify for the JGPF where she won gold.  Her personal best is 182.86.  She is 14 years old.  She has the best short program, free skate and total scores.

Nicole Rajicova, SVK: She placed 13th at JGP USA and 15th at JGP Slovenia.  Her personal best is 109.56.  She is 17 years old.

Patricia Glescic, SLO: She placed 17th at Junior Worlds last season.  She finished 28th at Europeans.    She placed 14th at JGP Austria and 11th at JGP Slovenia.  Her personal best is 125.46.  She is 18 years old.

Marta Garcia, ESP: Her personal best is 97.78.  She is 19 years old.

Rebecka Emanuelsson, SWE: She finished 21st at JGP France and 16th at JGP Turkey.  Her personal best is 119.89.  She is 18 years old.

Josefine Taljegard, SWE: She placed 10th at JGP USA and 7th at JGP Croatia.  Her personal best is 122.99.  She is 17 years old.

Laure Nicodet, SUI: She placed 13th at JGP Austria and 21st at JGP Croatia.  Her personal best is 105.09.  She is 15 years old.

Melisa Sema Atik, TUR: She placed 24th at JGP Turkey and 20th at JGP Slovenia.  Her personal best is 96.70.  She is 16 years old.

Anna Khnuchenkova, UKR: She is 18 years old.

Samantha Cesario, USA: She won bronze at JGP Austria.  Her personal best is 157.72.  She is 19 years old.  She has the 9th best short program, 7th best free skate and 6th best total scores.

Courtney Hicks, USA: She won silver at JGP USA and finished 4th at JGP Slovenia.  Her personal best is 153.77.  She is 17 years old.  She has the 8th best free skate and 8th best total scores.

Yasmin Siraj, USA: Her personal best is 161.75.  She is 16 years old.