UD figure skaters fare well in nationals

Kimmie Meissner

9:08 a.m., Jan. 20, 2005--The University of Delaware Figure Skating Club, led by senior ladies bronze medalist Kimmie Meissner, had a strong showing at the 2005 State Farm U.S. National Championships held last week in Portland, Ore.

Meissner not only finished third but won the adulation of the crowd in the Rose Garden Arena when she landed a triple axel, becoming just the second American in history to do so. Tonya Harding, who trained in Portland, accomplished the triple axel during the 1991 national championships in Minneapolis.

The Portland Oregonian raved, “The women's triple axel jump came back to Portland. The city that celebrated the first U.S. woman to master the most difficult of figure skating's triple jumps 14 years ago cheered as 15-year-old Kimmie Meissner spun through the air Saturday night at the State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships and landed in history.”

Meissner, who has now positioned herself as a serious contender to make the U.S. Olympic team for the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy, also won the Professional Skaters Association’s EDI Award for the best performance in the ladies championship division.

The EDI Award symbolizes “education and dedication international” and is a tribute to former world and Olympic coach Edi Scholdan, the first president of the Professional Skaters Association. It was voted on by a special committee of the association that observed the skaters during the national championships, and was based on total performance with an eye to costuming, presentation, music selection, choreography, style and technique.

Because she is too young by rule, Meissner will be unable to compete for the U.S. senior team in the world championships later this year. However, she was named to the junior world championship team.

The UDFSC also had a strong competitor in the senior men’s division, as Shaun Rogers finished in sixth place and also was selected to the junior world team. He is an alternate on the senior world team.

Megan Williams-Stewart, who finished in 10th place in the ladies championship, was named an alternate on the junior world team.

Championship pairs skaters Tiffany Scott and Philip Dulebohn were pewter medalists, finishing fourth and being named alternates on the world team.

In the junior ladies competition, UDFSC’s Christine Zukowski won the silver medal, and in the novice men’s competition, Adam Rippon won the silver medal.

Other national competitors were Katie Hadford, who finished 17th in the championship ladies event; Kendra Goodwin and Brent Bommentre, who finished sixth in the championship dance event and were selected alternates on the national team; and Julia Rey and Philipp Rey, who finished eighth in the championship dance event.

Also competing from UD were Anna Peng who finished fifth in junior ladies; Traighe Rouse, who finished 11th in junior men; Katie Copley and Patrick Connelly, who finished eighth in junior dance; Geoff Varner, who finished sixth in junior men; Melissa Bulanhagui, who finished eighth in novice ladies; Nate Bartholomay, who finished seventh in novice men; and Isabella Cannuscio and Kyle Herring, who finished seventh in novice dance.

During the national championships, which were broadcast by ESPN and ABC, the network aired a story on head injuries that featured interviews with both Ron Ludington, director of the UD Ice Skating Science Development Center, and Jeff Schneider, strength and conditioning coach for the figure skating program.

In another UD connection, Lydia Manon, the daughter of Jon Manon, assistant professor of education at UD, placed third with her partner, Ryan O’Meara, in the senior ice dance competition. Ms. Manon, who earlier trained at UD, is now at the Detroit Skating Club.

Article by Neil Thomas

Editor's note: This article was updated at 4:40 p.m., Jan. 20.

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