events

Eighteen U.S. Athletes to Compete at Two International Events this Week

icenetwork.com JGP Romania event page
icenetwork.com Nebelhorn Trophy event page

Kaitlin Hawayek & Michael Bramante (photo by Michelle Harvath)

(9/20/11) - The United States will send six skaters to JGP Romania, the fourth event of the International Skating Union (ISU) Junior Grand Prix (JGP) of Figure Skating Series in Brasov, Romania, while 12 skaters will compete at Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf, Germany.

JGP Romania begins on Thursday with men's and ladies short programs. Nebelhorn Trophy also begins on Thursday with the short dance and the men's and pairs short programs.

Ladies
Competing in her second event of the season is Ashley Cain, the 2010 novice silver medalist. She began the season with a sixth-place showing at the JGP's inaugural event in Latvia earlier this month. Cain is joined by 2011 U.S. junior pewter medalist McKinzie Daniels, who makes her international debut.

Men
Harrison Choate, who won the junior title at 2011 Gardena Spring Trophy, makes his JGP debut in Romania as does Shotaro Omori, who placed third as a junior at Gardena Spring Trophy.

Ice dancing
Reigning U.S novice bronze medalists Kaitlin Hawayek & Michael Bramante are the lone ice dancing team to represent Team USA in Romania. They make their international debuts in Brasov.

Now in its 15th season, the JGP Series consists of seven 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 seven scheduled events (pairs can compete in two of four designated events). The top six point-earners in each discipline qualify for the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, Dec. 8-11 in Quebec City, Quebec.

Held annually, Nebelhorn Trophy is a senior-level competition for all four figure skating disciplines. The 2011 version is the first international senior competition of the season.

Ladies
2010 Olympian Mirai Nagasu kicks off her season in Oberstdorf. She is joined by Joelle Forte, who is also assigned to 2011 Hilton HHonors Skate America, the first event of the 2011 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series.

Men
Max Aaron, the 2011 U.S. junior champion, leads the men's contingent at Nebelhorn. He is joined by Stephen Carriere, who was forced to withdraw from the 2011 U.S. Championships due to injury.

Pairs
Tiffany Vise & Don Baldwin, who placed sixth at the 2011 U.S. Championships, join the newly formed team of Caydee Denney & John Coughlin in Germany. Denney and Coughlin, who are both U.S. champions with previous partners, joined forces in May, making Nebelhorn Trophy their first international competition together.

Ice dancing
U.S. junior pewter medalists Anastasia Olson & Jordan Cowan make their international senior debuts after having competed last fall in the Junior Grand Prix. Madison Hubbell & Zach Donohue, who joined forces last spring, compete together for the first time internationally.