Broadmoor skaters prepared to compete at worlds
Five local figure skaters, with an arsenal of fancy moves that has produced an impressive list of credentials, will help determine U.S. quota spots for the 2010 Olympics.
Jeremy Abbott, Rachael Flatt, Brandon Mroz and pair Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker are representing The Broadmoor Skating Club at the world championships, which begin today and run through Saturday in Los Angeles.
Flatt and Alissa Czisny need a combined placement no greater than 13 - if Flatt is sixth, Czisny can't be worse than seventh - for the Americans to send the maximum three women's skaters to the Vancouver Games.
The magic number also is 13 for Abbott, Mroz and Evan Lysacek as well as ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White, Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates, and Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto. Ditto for McLaughlin and Brubaker, and Caydee Denny and Jeremy Barrett, although only two slots are available in pairs.
A look at the Broadmoor skaters:
JEREMY ABBOTT
Age: 23
Hometown: Aspen
Strengths: Judges love the creativity in his routines. His stylish skating, colorful costumes and easygoing personality make him a fan favorite. The bigger the event, the better Abbott skates, evidenced by wins this season at the Cup of China, Grand Prix Final and U.S. Championships.
Weaknesses: The triple lutz caused fits for Abbott at the Four Continents Championships, where he took fifth. He crashed into the boards when he attempted it in his short program, then he fell when he tried it in his free skate. Just as damaging, he never has landed a quad toe loop.
What to know: If Abbott puts the pieces together, he could become the first American world champion since Todd Eldredge in 1996. Even if everything doesn't click, he should challenge for a podium spot, especially since 2008 world bronze medalist Johnny Weir won't compete.
He said it: "I was coming into (Four Continents) thinking about putting the quad out before the world championships, getting that under my belt, getting comfortable, readying myself for LA."
RACHAEL FLATT
Age: 16
Hometown: Del Mar, Calif.
Strengths: The Cheyenne Mountain High School junior isn't lacking in the technical department, with a triple flip-triple toe combination in her short and a triple lutz-double toe-double loop combo in her long. She's sophisticated, and the removal of her braces gives her an older appearance.
Weaknesses: Little energy doomed Flatt to her second straight runner-up finish at nationals. Several mistakes - the wrong takeoff edge on a triple lutz in her short and a triple salchow reduced to a double in her long - hampered her in a seventh-place finish at Four Continents.
What to know: Flatt scrapped her free skate music - two Debussy tone poems so out of the box they didn't sit well with audiences or judges. Flatt will return to the less advanced "Romantic Rhapsody" by Andre Mathieu. It's what she used last year in winning a world junior title.
She said it: "I try to keep (the results) in the back of my mind so it doesn't overtake how I look at my skating. When I focus on the outcome, my programs don't turn out as well."
BRANDON MROZ
Age: 18
Hometown: St. Louis
Strengths: In his senior-level debut, Mroz has displayed the flair of a veteran, benefiting from a precise triple lutz-triple toe combination in his short and a huge quad in his long. He gained the respect of his new competitors - and a ton of confidence - when he edged Lysacek for second at nationals.
Weaknesses: The Cheyenne Mountain senior sometimes struggles to stay in his element. It showed at Four Continents, as Mroz was overmatched against a strong international field in placing eighth. He must improve his stamina to maximize points on five consecutive triple jumps in his free skate.
What to know: Nobody is expecting much from Mroz. That plays to his advantage since he embraces the underdog role, having posted three top-10 finishes this season at international events. Don't bet the house on Mroz, but don't be surprised to see him near the front of the standings.
He said it: "It comes down to that day and what you're going to put out. What you've done in the past is nothing with this new judging system. I'm a prime example of that."
KEAUNA MCLAUGHLIN AND ROCKNE BRUBAKER
Her age: 16. His age: 22
Her hometown: Los Angeles His hometown: Algonquin, Ill.
Strengths: In three years together, they've grown remarkably comfortable, creating unmistakable chemistry that shines in their skating. A Colorado-Colorado Springs sophomore, Brubaker boasts more than enough power, and McLaughlin complements it with eye-popping speed.
Weaknesses: The two-time defending national champions haven't won on the senior international level, finishing second at Skate America, third at Skate Canada and fifth at Four Continents. Brubaker needs liveliness in all of his jumps, and McLaughlin can't miss landings.
What to know: The odds don't favor McLaughlin and Brubaker - the last American pair to win a world title was Tai Reina Babilonia and Randy Gardner in 1979. They await Chinese pair Pang Qing and Tong Jian, who upset 2008 world bronze medalists Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison of Canada at Four Continents.
He said it: "As good as someone might be, when they come in and they're new to everything, they have moments where they're still learning how to handle that. It's going to come through experience and working hard."
