Junior Grand Prix Continues This Week in Hungary
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| Sydney Schmidt and Christopher Pottenger at the 2004 State Farm U.S. Championships Photo by Paul Harvath |
(8/31/04) — The second event of the 2004-05 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series takes place in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 2-5, with a total of 12 athletes representing the United States in four disciplines: ladies, men's, pairs and ice dancing. This year marks the eighth season of the JGP Series.
The JGP Series consists of eight international events in a cumulative point-scoring format. Approximately 400 athletes representing more than 35 countries are expected to participate in the series. Each athlete is eligible to score points in two of the eight scheduled events. The top eight point-earners in each of the disciplines then qualify for the JGP Final in Helsinki, Finland, Dec. 2-5. Athletes will be vying for a total of $365,000 in prize money throughout the series.
The new ISU judging system will be implemented this season for the JGP Series. Under the new system, points are awarded for a technical score combined with points awarded for five additional components — skating skills, transitions, performance/execution, choreography/composition and interpretation. Throughout the series, judges' names will not be anonymous; instead they will be listed in the protocol with their marks. This will let the ISU Council compare this procedure with that of anonymous judging after the 2004-05 season.
Ladies
Heading up the U.S. Team in Budapest is 2004 World Junior bronze medalist and 2004 U.S. junior silver medalist Katy Taylor (Houston, Texas). Taylor will be looking to qualify for her first JGP Final after placing second at the 2003 event in Bratislava and fourth at the 2003 event in Japan. Joining her in Hungary will be first-time JGP competitor Shanell Noji (Yorba Linda, Calif.). Noji began her international career in 2001 when she placed third as a novice at the Triglav Trophy. Most recently she placed fifth at the 2004 State Farm U.S. Championships on the junior level.
Men
Returning for his third year in the JGP is 2004 World Junior bronze medalist Jordan Brauninger (Ludlow, Ky.). Brauninger has already competed at a JGP event this year, placing fifth in France just last weekend. He has extensive JGP experience, placing third in France and fourth in Slovakia in 2002, qualifying him for his first JGP Final, where he placed sixth. His 2003 season was even more successful with a first-place finish in Mexico City, a fourth-place finish in Japan and another fourth at the JGP Final. Also competing in the men's division is Tommy Steenberg (Annandale, Va.). Steenberg placed 15th at his JGP event in the Czech Republic last year, then placed fourth as a junior at the U.S. Championships.
Pairs
In the pairs event, 2003 U.S. novice champions Sydney Schmidt (Dallas, Texas) and Christopher Pottenger (Coppell, Texas) will look to better their fourth-place finish from their 2003 JGP event in Mexico City. The pair took fourth as juniors at the 2004 U.S. Championships. Hungary marks the first JGP event for siblings Lindsey Seitz (Bettendorf, Iowa) and Andy Seitz (Bettendorf, Iowa). They finished eighth at the 2004 U.S. Championships, then won bronze at the 2004 Triglav Trophy, both as juniors.
Ice Dancing
In the ice dancing competition, 2004 U.S. junior bronze medalists Trina Pratt (Pueblo, Colo.) and Todd Gilles (Colorado Springs, Colo.) will compete in the JGP Series for their second year. They took seventh at the 2003 event in Sofia. Also competing in the series for the second time are Adrienne Koob-Doddy (Clinton, N.Y.) and Robert Antonelli (Old Bridge, N.J.); the duo placed 11th at the 2003 event in Croatia, followed by a fifth-place finish as novices at the 2004 U.S. Championships.
The remaining events in the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series are:
Long Beach, Calif. – Sept. 9-12
Harbin, China – Sept. 16-19
Belgrade, Serbia/Montenegro – Sept. 23-26
Kiev, Ukraine – Sept. 30-Oct. 3
Chemnitz, Germany – Oct. 7-10
Miercurea Ciuc, Romania – Oct. 14-17
JGP Final: Helsinki, Finland – Dec. 2-5
2004 ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating
Budapest, Hungary
Sept. 2-5
U.S. Entries: Name (Hometown/Training Town)
Ladies
Shanell Noji (Yorba Linda, Calif./Aliso Viejo, Calif.)
Katy Taylor (Houston, Texas/Houston and Sugar Land, Texas)
Men
Jordan Brauninger (Ludlow, Ky./Crescent Springs, Ky.)
Tommy Steenberg (Annandale, Va./Fairfax, Va.)
Pairs
Sydney Schmidt (Dallas, Texas) & Christopher Pottenger (Coppell, Texas/N. Richland Hills, Texas)
Lindsay Seitz & Andy Seitz (Bettendorf, Iowa/Davenport, Iowa)
Dance
Adrienne Koob-Doddy (Clinton, N.J.) & Robert Antonelli (Old Bridge, N.J./Monmouth Junction, N.J.)
Trina Pratt (Pueblo, Colo.) & Todd Gilles (Colorado Springs, Colo./Colorado Springs, Colo.)
